Jurassic Island
by Lord of Kavaka
Summary: This wasn't the tropical getaway they were expecting. Castle/Jurassic Park AU. Set sometime after 7x10. Castle Winter Hiatus 2014 Ficathon Entry.
1. Prologue - Transfer Gone Bad

**Jurassic Island**

**Prologue – Transfer Gone Bad**

* * *

_Two Years Ago_

* * *

Lightning flashed somewhere off in the distance, brightening the dark night sky, followed several minutes later by the crackle of thunder. A storm was approaching. They needed to hurry up and get this transfer completed before it hit landfall. The oversized forklift carrying the cage appeared from behind the trees. The driver shifted the gears and the engine roared. The vehicle lurched forward, approaching the concrete loading zone.

A thick concrete and metal superstructure surrounded the large paddock. The loading gate was reinforced, and several feet thick. A cluster of men, with heavy cattle prods set to a higher voltage than normally used on livestock, stood waiting on the loading dock. It still wasn't enough to stun the beast, but it would have to do. The beast was of high value to the company.

"Coming in!" one of the loaders shouted.

Two men with red glow sticks stepped forward, and directed the forklift in. Robert Muldoon stood off to the side, observing with a watchful eye, holding his trusty SPAS-12 shotgun at the ready. This new beast was bigger than the rest, and therefore, in his mind, even more dangerous. He had questioned his employer's decision to make another addition to those that they already had in the pen, but his concerns were shut down. Mr. Hammond wanted to impress his investors, and believed that the risks were acceptable.

The cage was lowered without problem, hooking up with the loading track perfectly. Muldoon adjusted his stance, narrowing his eyes at the slits in the cage, listening for the animal. It had been tranquilized, so it should still be asleep. But he heard the low purr of the beast. It was awake. Clenching his jaw and steeling his gaze, he stepped forward, knowing that the transfer process just became ten times more dangerous.

"Docking team, step away."

The docking crew rushed back. The forklift driver shifted gears and pulled away from the docking zone, the vehicle disappearing back into the surrounding trees. Muldoon nodded.

"Loading team."

The crew, dressed in uniform dark blue jumpsuits and yellow hard hats stepped forward, clustering around the large cage. There was a hissing purr from within, and then a sharp snarl, low and terrible. The men jumped back, frightened. Muldoon tightened his grip around the shotgun.

"Loading team!" he shouted, though he was sympathetic. He'd sooner kill the beast than transfer it to the main paddock, but he had his orders.

The loading crew heaved in a collective breath, before stepping back up to the cage and gripping the support handles. This time the beast remained silent. Muldoon narrowed his eyes, before nodding to the foreman. The man inclined his head, and the team pushed the cage along the track towards the loading gate. The cage slid easily into place. Muldoon waited for the locking mechanisms to click, before ordering the loading team back.

"Gatekeeper," he called out.

A middle-aged man, dressed in the same uniform as the loading crew, stepped forward and climbed the ladder along the side of the cage. Muldoon watched from below as the man checked on the locks, verifying their hold. The gatekeeper turned his head and nodded.

Muldoon stepped forward, eyeing the cage warily. He listened to the sounds of the beast hissing and purring from within, stalking in its captivity. He gritted his teeth, shifted his hold on the shotgun. "Jeffrey… raise the gate."

The gatekeeper nodded, and stood up on top of the cage. He bent down and gripped the handles, tugging them up. The cage's gate slowly moved up, rays of light shined through the slots. Jeffrey had the gate more than halfway up when everything went wrong. The cage slid back from the seal with a sudden jerk. Everyone startled back in alarm. The locking mechanism had failed. Klaxons blared as the cage continued to slide back.

The beast roared from within, pounding against the side of the cage, causing it to roll off the track. Jeffrey swayed on top, losing his balance, and tumbled over the edge, landing with a hard thud on the concrete docking bay floor. Muldoon shouted orders, commanding the crew to stun the beast, even if he'd rather order them to kill it.

With the shock sticks set to the highest setting possible, the men rushed in, shoving the sticks through the slits in the cage and shocking the beast within. Jeffrey had just climbed back to his feet when the beast let out a low snarl and rammed against the side of the cage once again, incensed by the shocks from the electric prods. Its roar was terrifying to the bone, like the cry of a banshee come to take your soul.

"Jeffrey, get out of there!" Muldoon yelled, but it was too late. The beast snagged the gatekeeper by the leg, and the men collapsed, howling out in pain.

Muldoon rushed forward, dropping his shotgun as he reached for Jeffrey. He locked his arms around the man's torso as the loading crew rushed around the cage, plunging the shock sticks through the slots in the cage and zapping the beast. It only enraged the beast. It roared and snarled, hissing out terrifying sounds that hadn't been heard on this planet for millions of years.

It all seemed so futile. No matter how many times the crew shocked the beast, it kept fighting them off. The cage rocked off the tracks, and the men scattered back. Through the flashes and sparks, Muldoon and the beast locked eyes. He paled, seeing nothing but cruel cunning and intelligence staring back at him. Muldoon shouted orders, telling them to abandon the cattle prods and get their guns.

"Shoot her!" he shouted, desperately holding on to the flailing Jeffrey. "Shoot her!"

Finally some men rushed in with shotguns, aiming them at the cage. But the beast had the advantage. The bullets bounced off the cage, the slits too narrow for untrained men to aim properly. The beast roared and Muldoon stumbled as the cage shook again. His grip on Jeffrey loosened, and the man was violently yanked back, his bloodcurdling cries of pain filled the air, only to end with a sickening bone crunching snap soon after.

Muldoon scrambled on all fours to his shotgun, still lying where he had dropped it. The crew was still attempting to stun the beast with the shock sticks, but it was a futile endeavor. Muldoon jumped to his feet, and shoved his men aside.

He stuck the barrel through the biggest slot in the cage and fired.


	2. Journey To The Island

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 1 – Journey To The Island**

* * *

The boat skimmed along the water, lifting and falling with the swell of the waves. It made for a bumpy ride, and the passengers had to grip the side railing securely, least they tumble overboard. The smell of salt water filling the air was powerful. Water sprayed into the air and wafted over the group standing—or, for some, hunched over, retching up their last meal—on the top deck of the ferry. The white hull was emblazed with a bright neon logo depicting a setting sun behind a silhouetted cluster of tropical trees.

"Isn't this exciting!" her husband enthused, leaning over the side railing like a dog sticking his head out the window of a moving car.

She chuckled, gazing at him with unsuppressed affection. His smile was infectious and she couldn't help but smile back. "Yes, it is," she agreed. "It's been a long time coming."

He gazed back at her, his blue eyes sparkling as his lips spread into a gleeful grin. "They have a luxury hotel with a gourmet restaurant, did you know that? Top class—they spared no expense!" he inquired, waggling his eyebrows in that way he does that she finds both utterly adorable and ridiculous.  
"Yes, Castle… I know," Kate pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "I _read_ the brochure too."

Castle flashed her one of his innocent looks. "What would you say if I told you that I booked us one of the trailers up on the ridge, the ones that the brochure said overlooked the lake?"

"I… I'd say I was surprised," she answered, cocking her head slightly and giving him an astonished look. She rested her hands on the railing and leaned forward, mirroring him. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be willing to rough it."

"Normally that would be true, yes," Castle concurred with a nod. "But I couldn't pass on the opportunity that staying in a trailer provided. Granted, it's not like some camper, it's high end, with electricity, plumbing, and Wi-Fi connection, but it's private. And we'd get our very own unobstructed view of the lake throughout our entire stay."

Kate smiled at his child-like glee. She couldn't blame him; even she could feel the excitement rise up from within. It was like the wonder of childhood returning, something that she would probably never had experienced again if it hadn't been for her husband. Castle had a way of looking at things that would always amaze her. He had returned to her that joy of living that had been missing in her life for a long time. Too long.

Despite the many ups and downs in their relationship over the years, Kate couldn't be happier with where they were now; sharing a life and love with Castle, and being his wife… it was almost more than she could have hoped for.

She watched him, always in awe of his capacity for joy. Despite all the horrors and evil he had witnessed and experienced, Richard Castle was still optimistic. He would not allow the darkness in the world to overshadow the many joys life offered. It was an admirable quality, one that she found particularly attractive. He would always be her rock, the anchor that tethered her from spiraling into the dark places in the world.

Castle caught her gazing at him, and he leaned forward, cupping her jaw in his warm palm as he moved in closer, nuzzling his nose against hers. It was only a moment before he was then kissing her. She closed her eyes, humming approval as he flicked his tongue across her bottom lip, seeking to deepen the kiss. She complied readily. Parting her lips for his talented tongue, and moaned, looping her arms around his neck and keening into him.

Things had been different this past couple of months, what with Castle getting kicked out of the precinct. They had struggled for a while to find their new normal. It wasn't easy not having him at the precinct with her, always at the ready with a theory and a cup of coffee. Truth was, she missed working with him. And though he'd acquired a private investigator's license for himself, things just weren't the same.

So when Castle mentioned his—_extreme_—interest in visiting this resort, Kate had jumped at the opportunity, knowing that it would provide them with some quality time away from everyone else. Plus, he did owe her a tropical island getaway. She had even managed to finagle more vacation days out of a surprisingly sympathetic Captain Gates.

The squawk of the ferry's intercom disrupted their moment, and they reluctantly parted slowly, though Kate kept her arms draped around his neck. She bit her lower lip and blushed slightly as she remembered they were on the crowded top deck of the ferry. Fortunately, it appeared that none of the other travelers had been paying them any attention. Almost everyone seemed to be gawking towards the starboard side.

A musical fanfare began to pulse out from the ship's intercom, and Castle wrapped his arms around her waist as they turned as one, following the gaze of their fellow passengers. A head of them was a magnificent view of Isla Nublar. Kate had read in the brochure that originally visitors to the island were to have been flown in via a helicopters, but once the resort expanded, they made the switch to a ferry service that made the trek back and forth between the island and Costa Rica on a regular basis. Of course, VIPs still flew in via helicopters, which they could have afforded with Castle's income, but there was something to be said about the group experience of entering such a spectacular resort.

The ferry was approaching an inlet that served as the main visitor entrance to the resort. Lichen smattered rocks jutted up from the shallow water around the opening of the bay, like the teeth of some long ago vanquished monster. The ferry curved around the rocks and entered the bay, turning towards the coast, and the mouth of a river, which was flaked on both sides by decorative rock pillars, chiseled to look as if they were from the Stone Age. The riverbanks were densely packed with tropical foliage, which swayed gently in the soft breeze.

Kate nuzzled closer to Castle, his arms squeezing around her waist as they both took in the sights before them while the ferry entered the mouth of the river. Just past the rock pillars, spanning the width of the river—bank to bank—was an enormous safari-styled gate, with burning torches on either side as extra embellishment. A sign curved across the top, proclaiming the resort's name in bold jungle font. The entire thing was monolithic. Iconic.

Besides her, Castle practically vibrated with excitement. "Oh my god, this is so cool!" he enthused, and she bit her lower lip, suppress the urge to join him in expressing her thrilled anticipation.

The rest of the passenger 'oohed' and 'awed' appropriately at the marvelous sight. The fanfare blaring out of the speakers reached a crescendo, and—perfectly timed—the large gate doors blocking their way swung open, and the recorded voice of Mr. John Hammond greeted them as the ferry sailed across the threshold.

"Welcome… to Jurassic Park."


	3. The Monorail Ride

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 2 – The Monorail Ride**

* * *

After checking in their luggage with the valet services located by the unloading dock—and being assured that all their things would be waiting for them at their trailer—Castle and Beckett joined the rest of the park visitors in the queue for the shuttle. The high-speed monorail reminded Kate of the one at Disney World, except this one was painted in a green-yellow camouflage style, the fringe around the windows and doors painted red.

Castle draped his arm over her shoulder as they waited for the queue to start moving and Kate couldn't help but smile, easing into his side and resting her head on his shoulder. Her husband still looked like a child on Christmas.

"I can't wait until we see our first dinosaur!" he exclaimed.

Kate chuckled beside him. "You've seen the pictures and the videos on YouTube."

"Yeah… but this will be the real thing!" he objected. "Nothing beats seeing it in person. Just think of how you felt when you finally saw the Colosseum in Rome, or the Venus di Milo at the Louvre. Did seeing just pictures of them even compare to seeing the real thing?"

Kate pretended to mull over her answer, just to make him squirm. "Alright, you've got me there, babe," she patted his hand and pressed a quick chaste kiss to his cheek.

Truth was, Kate still had trouble believing that it was even possible that a company had managed to clone dinosaurs from the blood in ancient mosquitos found in fossilized amber. From what she had read in the visitor booklet that had arrived at the loft along with their admission tickets, Jurassic Park scientists had used the DNA of a frog to build the sequence and complete the genetic code of the prehistoric creatures. It was all a little science fiction, but Kate couldn't deny the reality of it, especially when she'd been seeing it first hand soon enough.

The next train arrived, and Castle bounced with excitement. She squeezed his hand, trying to rein him in… if just a little. Kate was actually enjoying his enthusiastic behavior. It was almost like how he got around any major holiday. The doors slid open, and the line finally began to move. An attendant, dressed in khaki slacks, a light blue polo shirt, and donning a black baseball cap with the Jurassic Park logo embroidered on it, stepped forward to direct the visitors into the monorail.

This time they were able to board.

Castle clasped her hand in his and quickly led her to two seats by the left side window. "I read on a blog that the best seats were on the left… supposed to have the best view of the lake when the monorail sweeps around towards the Visitor Center."

Kate pursed her lips and shook her head slightly as she settled in beside him, Castle practically vibrating with excitement, like a little kid on Christmas Day. A chimed sounded, and the doors closed. And they were off. Kate arched her neck to look around Castle, watching as the docking bay and check-in kiosks disappeared, soon replaced by a tunnel of tropical foliage. The monorail zoomed along, taking them—and their fellow visitors—into the heart of the island. She dropped her hand on his knee, squeezing gently to calm him down. He glanced over at her and smiled, placing his hand over hers and returning the squeeze.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

Castle shrugged his shoulders and gestured around, indicating the park. "For indulging me," he said. "I know this wouldn't have been your first choice for our delayed honeymoon adventure, but… Kate, it means so much to me that you agreed to come."

She slowly interlaced their fingers and clasped his hand tightly. "It may not be what I had in mind," she concurred, "but it's still just us… on a tropical island."

"With dinosaurs!" he added with a child-like glee, grinning widely.

"Yes, with dinosaurs," she repeated smiling back at him as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips, before allowing him to gaze excitedly back out the window. Kate was more than willing to indulge Castle in this.

She may not be as enthusiastic as he was, but that did not stop her from having the same anticipation at seeing once extinct giants in the flesh. Kate could still remember the wonder and awe of going to the American Museum of Natural History with her parents and seeing the fossils of the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Apatosaurus in the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs. That childhood wonder had been tempered with the passage of time, but even Kate realized it was healthy and natural to indulge in it, at least once in a while—yet another thing she had learned from her husband.

The monorail intercom speakers began playing a similar fanfare to what had played on the ferry when they'd passed through the giant gate. Castle squeezed her hand. "This is it!"

Kate shifted in her seat, following his direction, as he turned to gaze out the window. The dense foliage broke, and there it was, the long flowing grass plains, with a spotting of tall trees, and the lake. Kate's breath caught in her throat when she saw them. A large herd of greenish brown dinosaurs with long curved crests on their heads were approaching the lake, some already dipping their heads to drink.

"Castle… what are they?" she asked, eyes wide as she gazed out at the sight. She was only vaguely aware that all the other passengers were doing the same thing.

"Parasaurolophus," he answered absently, staring out the window in awe. "Oh! Hey, Kate… look over there, by the trees. Do… do you see them?"

"See what?" she craned her neck, practically leaning over him to stare out the window. He placed a hand on her hip to steady her and pointed. Kate swept her eyes over to where he indicated. "Oh my god, Castle… are those brontosaurs?"

"Brachiosaurus, yes," he bobbed his head.

She was at a lost for words. The long necked dinosaurs were munching on the top most leaves of the tall trees, seemingly oblivious to the numerous humans gawking at them.

"God, Castle… this… this is incredible."

"What'd I tell you!" he exclaimed, sliding his arm around her waist.

It was then that Kate realized that she was practically sitting in his lap. But she couldn't bother to be embarrassed or even blush. Her eyes were wide and in awe as she stared out at the open grasslands, watching as another herd of dinosaurs, this one was a dark muddy color, with a fan-shaped bone crest on the top of its head. Kate couldn't remember what the name of the dinosaur was, only that they were herbivores. She watched as the new herd mingled with the herd of Parasaurolophus.

She released a breath of awe, unable to look away from the mind-blowing spectacle of seeing two long extinct species co-mingling at the watering hole. And for one of the few times in her life, Kate Beckett was speechless.

XXX

A large rotund man sat at a table filled to the brim with Costa Rican cuisine. It wasn't just his size that made him stand out, though that alone was enough. His skin was pale, and he wore a loud Hawaiian Shirt, the buttons threatening to burst over his round belly. He wore a constant smile that could either be an 'I'm laughing with you' or an 'I'm laughing at you' smile, you could never tell. And that's how Dennis Nedry liked it.

He looked up from his meal when a rusted taxi pulled up, and a man wearing a white Panama hat and spook-like sunglasses stepped out. The man was painfully obvious. He practically screamed American tourist. The man stopped by the café, scanning the open air eating area furtively. Nedry laughed, finding it all so amusing. He shook his head, then waved over to the man.

"Dodgson! Dodgson!" he shouted until he gained the man's attention.

Dodgson hurried over to the table, casting suspicious glances around at the other patrons. "You shouldn't use my name," he whispered as he sat down, still overly paranoid for Nedry's tastes.

Nedry shook his head at the man's attempt at being covert. He pointed at him and loudly proclaimed, for the entire restaurant to hear, "Dodgson. Dodgson. We got Dodgson here!" When no one so much as glanced their way, Nedry turned his attention back to him. "See, nobody cares." His beady eyes flicked up at the Panama hat. "Nice hat. What are you trying to look like, a secret agent?"

Dodgson ignored his teasing. He pushed aside some of the plates, making room on the table for his briefcase. Nedry's focus immediately zeroed in on it.

"Is that it?" he asked, almost gleefully.

"Seven fifty," Dodgson confirmed, sliding the briefcase across the table to Nedry. "On delivery, fifty thousand more for every viable embryo. That's one point five million. If you get all fifteen species off the island."

"Oh, I'll get them all," Nedry asserted confidently, reaching up to grab the handle of the briefcase and pulling it down under the table.

"Remember," Dodgson hissed out, keeping his voice low. "_Viable embryos_. They're no use to us if they don't survive."

"How am I supposed to transport them?"

Dodgson unzipped his shoulder bag and pulled out an ordinary can of Barbasol shaving cream. "The bottom screws open," he said, demonstrating as he spoke. "It's cooled and compartmentalized inside. They can even check it if they want." He reassembled it just as quickly. "Press the top."  
Nedry took that can from him and pressed the button on the table, and real shaving scream hissed out onto his hand. He grinned, impressed. While Dodgson continued talking, Nedry looked around for somewhere to wipe scream off his hand, and ended up dumping it on top of a pie sitting on a dessert tray next to him.

"There's enough coolant gas for thirty-six hours," Dodgson was saying.

Nedry stared down at the can. "What? No menthol?"

Dodgson sighed. "Mr. Nedry… the embryos have to be back her in San Jose by then."

"Well… that's up to your guy on the boat," Nedry asserted, picking up a napkin to clean his hand. "Seven o'clock tomorrow night, at the east dock. Make sure he gets it right."

Dodgson gave a bob of his head, affirming he would give his guy the information. "I… was wondering… how are you planning to beat security?"

Nedry smirked, it was one of those 'I'm either laughing with you or at you' smiles. "I've got an eighteen minute window," he asserted. "Eighteen minutes, and your company catches up on ten years of research… another five years, and you'll have a park of your own."

A waiter appeared, placing a check on the table, between them. Nedry finished cleaning his hand and stared down at the check with a pointed look. His beady eyes then flirted back up to Dodgson.

"Don't get cheap on me, Dodgson. That was Hammond's mistake."

Dodgson sighed, but complied nonetheless, picking up the check with one hand, while reaching pulling out his wallet with the other.


	4. Visitor Center

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 3 – Visitor Center**

* * *

Castle grinned with pure excitement. How could he not? Jurassic Park was a little boy's dream come true. And if Kate's assertion that he was a nine-year-old on a sugar rush, then this was most definitely one of his boyhood dreams come true—well, this… and having drinks with the Indestructible. But in all honesty, both of those paled in comparison to the boyhood dream—Kate Beckett would be any young boy's fantasy—walking beside him. She was dressed in a loose purple blouse and relaxed-fit blue jeans that still managed to hug her amazingly perfect ass just right.

He had gotten in trouble during the train ride, earning a glare and a hard punch to the shoulder from his beautiful wife. It wasn't his fault. How could it be? Especially when she was the one who had practically crawled into his lap to gaze out the window as the train swept around the dinosaurs drinking along the lake. So he let his hands wander a bit. So what? They were married, and it was too tempting not to touch when her… _ass_ets were in such close proximity to his idle hands.

His shoulder still smarted from the punch, and Kate looked up at him with an unsympathetic gaze. "Next time save the grabby hands for bed, Writer Boy," she said, softening just a bit as she stretched up on her toes and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.

Castle grinned mischievously and tugged her hand, pulling her out of the current of people that flowed back and forth along the long central pathway. She raised her eyebrows at him, curious. He gripped her hips and nudged her off to the side, ducking them back behind the vending machines selling official Jurassic Park key chains (which he made a note to buy later) and a claw machine game packed with plush stuffed dinosaurs (which he would also find the time for later). She tensed, confused and uncertain what he was doing. She opened her mouth, but he silenced her protest by dipping his head down and pressing a hurried kiss to her lips. Kate sighed and relaxed, easing into his touch. She smiled into his mouth as he teasingly rubbed the pads of his thumbs along her jawline.

Pulling back, Castle winked at her. "I can't wait for later," he spoke low, in a husky voice. "We're gonna make that trailer rock." Kate pursed her lips, but her eyes darkened enough that he knew she approved of the idea. Castle sealed the deal with another kiss, before he turned back to look out at Jurassic Boulevard.

After disembarking from the monorail, they had followed the flow of people through another gate, similar to the monolithic one they'd passed through on the ferry, but smaller. It brought them to a large boulevard of shops, information kiosks, and family restaurants, all leading to an impressive building at the end of the road surrounded by tall palm trees and tropical flora, the central Visitor Center. It stood tall, with three curved walls facing the boulevard. The roofs were peaked in a circular fashion, thatched, in a safari-style. A large double door stood open in the center building, flanked on either side by a relief of dinosaur bones honed out of stone to resemble fossils found in the ground. It was all very impressive.

"So, babe, where do you want to go first?" Kate asked, reaching up to rub a thumb along his bottom lip, smudging off the pink lip-gloss that had transferred over during their kisses.

"I… don't know," Castle said with a shrug, too overwhelmed to make any real decisions yet. "There seems to be so much to see." He slipped his arm around her waist and led her back into the throng of people. They maneuvered their way through the other visitors until they arrived at the large board detailing the many attractions. He glanced at the various rides and attractions listed, as well as shows and tours.

Kate rested against his side, also examining the schedules. "Well, I'm assuming you'll want to do the main park tour," she said, pointing at one of the listed attractions, displayed with a picture of two customized green and yellow camouflaged SUVs, situated along a track, parked in front of an electrified fence.

Castle bobbed his head. "Oh, most definitely," he agreed. "Is there anything you're interested in?"

Kate bit her lower lip and stared back up at the board. "The Avian Observatory looks interesting," she said. "I read in the brochure that they also were able to genetically engineer some prehistoric birds."

"Of course they did," Castle chuckled. "Even though it means _terrible lizard_, most dinosaurs actually have more in common with modern day birds than they do with reptiles."

"Why am I not surprised you know that?" she rolled her eyes and gave him a pointed look. "And anyways, you know what I meant, Castle."

After discussing the options available for a little while longer, they decided to grab a quick lunch at one of the bistros along the boulevard before heading up to the Visitor Center and signing up for the attractions they were interested in. They sat down on one of the outside tables and a waiter handed them menus. Castle glanced at his and let out a little squeal of delight. He flicked his eyes up at a confused Kate, her nose wrinkled adorably.

"They've got chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs!" he exclaimed, grinning wider. "Oh… I so know what I'm ordering."

"You're such a little kid," Kate murmured, rolling her eyes.

XXX

The door hissed open, and John Hammond stepped into the control room, using his faux bamboo cane for support. His arthritic fingers curled around the amber top. He walked down the small ramp and into the central hub, greeting his chief control officer, Ray Arnold, with a nod and slap on the back. Arnold was a tall balding African-American man, sporting a thin mustache, and constantly had an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.

"How are things today, Ray?" he asked.

"Park's running smoothly, Mr. Hammond," Arnold said, bending down to rap his knuckles against the table—knocking on wood. "The morning ferries delivered just under a hundred more visitors."

Hammond smiled, delighted with the news. They had had some minor setbacks in getting the park operational, and now all that work was finally starting to pay off. "What did I tell you? This park was going to amaze the world!"

"You remind me of that everyday, sir," Arnold said with a dry smile, adjusting his glasses as he sat back down in his chair to glance at the computer monitor. "I prefer not to tempt fate."

"Dr. Ian Malcolm had the same concerns you did, Ray, in the beginning," Hammond pointed out. "But after that little inspection with Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler, even he had to admit that he'd been wrong."

"We got lucky," Arnold said. "It could have been worse. A lot worse."

Hammond shook his head in disagreement. "Ray, Ray, Ray… always the pessimist!" he laughed. "Even after all these years… if you're not careful, my friend, you'll worry yourself into an early grave."

"Better safe than sorry," boomed out another voice, and Hammond turned to see his Head Game Warden, Robert Muldoon, closing the security door behind him as he entered the control room, locking his trusty SPAS-12 shotgun into the gun rack by the door.

"Ah, Robert, how did the recent transfer go?" Hammond asked, anxious for news.

"Can we just stop making the beasts?"

"Come now, Mr. Muldoon, you know better," Hammond wagged a disapproving finger at him. "That is not an option. The world has seen what we have to offer, and they are amazed!"

Muldoon pursed his lips and gave a gruff nod, stalking down the ramp to join Hammond and Arnold on the central platform.

"So, the transfer?"

"She would only accept two out of the six newcomers," Muldoon told him. "Killed the smaller ones. She's smart, you know. She only wants the strong ones."

"Damn… do you know how much money and time it takes to engineer a single specimen? Wu won't be happy."

Muldoon smirked, amused. "I'm not the one who keeps telling everyone to 'spare no expense'," he said. "After all, I still say we should kill them all."

Hammond growled and clutched his cane tighter as he plopped down in a chair besides Arnold, who was kind enough to give him a sympathetic look. He and Muldoon had been having this same argument for over two years, ever since that incident during the big female's transfer.

"Bloody bitch," he grumbled under his breath. "She's too damn aggressive."

"She's a predator," Muldoon shook his head. "What did you expect?"

Hammond shrugged and leaned back in his chair, casting his eyes over the rest of the control room. Every station was filled, except one. He narrowed his eyes, groaning internally when he realized who was absent.

"Where's Dennis?"

"Nedry?" Arnold looked up, furrowing his brow. "Oh… um… He took the day, went to the mainland for some R&amp;R."

Muldoon let out a derisive snort at that, and shook his head. "I'm going off to patrol the perimeter. When that fat ass gets back, remind him he needs to run the security fence diagnostics. He's been stalling for two weeks."

"I'll remind him," Arnold assured.

Muldoon adjusted his hat. "I'll be back in three hours."

Hammond watched as the man retrieved his SPAS-12 shotgun and stalked out of the control room. He pursed his lips and frowned. Turning to Arnold, he asked, "I didn't know we were having problems with the security fences."

"We're not," Arnold said. "Muldoon just wants to play it safe."

"Ah," Hammond nodded in understanding, touching a finger to his nose. "Better safe than sorry, eh?"

"Exactly."

XXX

Castle arched his neck and gazed up at the two dinosaur fossils the Park had on display in the lobby of the Visitor Center. It was a Tyrannosaurus Rex posed in mid-action of attacking an Apatosaurus. He cocked his head, tilting his neck further around as he absently walked underneath the two giant skeletons. He had seen the dinosaurs on display at the American Museum of Natural History enough times with Alexis when she was growing up that he was amazed at how awe inspiring seeing such things still was for him.

"Rick."

He squinted up at the large T-Rex skull, staring at the impressive jaw, imagining what it would have looked like to see those dagger-like teeth sinking into the flesh of the helpless Apatosaurus. It was like seeing a prehistoric struggle frozen in time.

"Rick."

He craned his neck around and followed the vertebrae along the arching back of the Apatosaurus, marveling at its undeniable behemoth size. Surely it must have been a wonder that such giants had roamed the Earth.

"CASTLE!"

He blinked, snapping out of his awestruck wanderings, dropping his head back down to see Kate waving at him from across the lobby. He flashed her an apologetic look, and weaved through the sea of people to meet her by the sign-in desk.

"Sorry, I got a little distracted," he gave her a contrite smile, but she merely shrugged it off, and reached up to brush back the strands of hair that had flopped down over his forehead.

"It's alright, babe," she assured him. "I just wanted to double-check the schedule with you."

"For what?"

"The main tour," she said. "They have some slots open for tomorrow afternoon."

"Hmm," he hummed, bobbing his head. "That sounds good."

Kate turned back around to the sign-in desk, leaning an elbow on the flat surface of the raised counter to speak to the young woman sitting behind it. "The two o'clock tour, then."

The clerk nodded, and typed something in on her keyboard. "Mr. and Mrs. Castle, right?"

"Yes, that's correct," Kate nodded, and Castle slipped his arm around her waist, curling his fingers into her hipbone, grinning happily. He still found it absolutely amazing that she—Katherine Houghton Beckett—was his wife. She turned and smiled at him, before focusing back on the attendant.

"And you still want to do the Botanical Walk in the morning, followed by lunch in the Tree Top Café?" the young woman asked.

"Castle?" Kate raised an eyebrow at him in question, and he nodded. "Yes, that's good for now."

"Okay," the clerk pressed some more buttons on her keyboard, and then swiveled around on her stool to snatch a paper out of a tray behind her. She turned back around, handing a printout to Kate. "Here's your schedule for tomorrow. Lunch and dinner will be provided. You are on your own for breakfast. Most of the restaurants along Jurassic Boulevard serve breakfast specials, but you are also welcomed to the Visitor Center cafeteria, where a complimentary breakfast buffet is served until 10:30 everyday."

"Um… how do we get to our trailer?" Kate asked after glancing over the schedule.

"Oh, um…," the attendant looked back down at her computer screen. "You're in trailer four," she said. "When you exit the Visitor Center, go to your right and you'll see a line of jeeps. Just show your park visitor badge to one of the drivers, and he'll take you up to the ridge."

"And our luggage should already be there?"

"Yes," the young woman smiled, hopping off her stool, and walking around the counter to join them. "Now, if you'll just follow me, we'll fix you two up with those visitor badges and lanyards."

Kate nodded, folding up the printout of their schedule, and placed it, along with some brochures and other forms the attendant had given her, into her purse. She turned to Castle and looped her arm around his, giving him a smile. "Okay, Castle… I'll admit it, this is exciting."

"This way," the young attendant said.

Castle smiled at Kate and winked, before squeezing her hand and following the young woman towards what looked like a photo booth.


	5. Trailer Four

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 4 – Trailer Four**

* * *

The jeep bounced along the bumpy road. Kate involuntarily clutched Castle's hand as the jeep took a sharp curve, close to the edge of the road. She was surprised at the speeds the driver was taking some of these turns, especially considering the dirt road—calling it that was an overstatement; it was more like a path or hiking trail—was narrow and there was a very long drop off to one side. The slope was sheer, and the fall looked rather treacherous. Though, the ground was covered in a thick patch of foliage. Tall trees arched overhead, making a canopy that blocked out most of the light.

"It's like a tunnel," Castle grinned, winking at her, having way too much fun.

The driver let out a single barked guffaw, then turned the wheel sharply, steering the jeep away from the edge, and banking to the left. The engine revved as the jeep climbed up a raise and soon they were breaking through the densely packed foliage, emerging into a clearing by the edge of the ridge. The jeep rolled to a halt, and Kate released her breath, sighing in relief. She sincerely hoped they were able to get a different driver for their return trip to the Visitor Center.

As Castle tipped the driver, Kate inspected their accommodations.

The trailer—or rather trailers—stood parked along the curve of the cliff. Their home away from home consisted of two green, brown, and black camouflaged trailers, attached in the middle by an accordion belt, similar to those seen on large metro buses. On one, by a door, stenciled in white paint, was the number four. Kate pursed her lips as she took in the two trailers. Sure, they were clearly high-end, but she began to wonder if it would have been a better option to take a room in the luxury hotel not as far away from the Visitor Center and all the other attractions.

"You okay?" Castle asked, his eyes skimming over her face in mild concern. She could tell that he was eager for her approval of the accommodations he'd booked for them. This was, after all, supposed to be their romantic island getaway.

Kate gave him a quick nod, stamping down her second-guessing. If Castle wanted to 'rough it' then they'd rough it. The trailers did look bigger than she had been expecting. Perhaps this would be more like a rich man's version of roughing it, which she was totally fine with. Besides, she still hadn't yet seen the interior of the two trailers. Maybe they were more luxurious than the exteriors implied.

But before they explored, Kate needed to check on one thing.

She trotted over to the jeep before the driver could speed off. "How do we get a ride back to the Visitor Center?" she asked. Kate did not want to get stuck up here.

The driver looked at her with a friendly smile. "All the trailers are linked to the dispatch by short-wave radio. You'll find them by the door. Just call and one of us will come out to get you."

"Thanks."

"Enjoy your stay, ma'am," the driver said, tipping his cap. He gave them a wave, then turned the jeep around and zoomed back down the road, disappearing into the densely packed foliage.

Kate turned back to Castle, seeing he was already vibrating with excitement. He really was a nine-year old on a sugar rush. She adjusted her purse and dug out the keys to the trailer. She spun them around in her finger, giving her husband an amused look. "Okay, Castle, ready to check out our digs?"

XXX

All right, she had to admit, the trailers were impressive. One trailer was all living quarters. The larger of the two trailers consisted of a small kitchenette and lounge. And, much to her relief, they found their luggage waiting for them at the foot of the bed.

Kate was very pleased to discover the bathroom was not as small or cramped as she had feared it would be. Castle made no hesitation in pointing out that the shower stall was 'big enough for two'. She had rewarded him with one of her classic eye rolls and a glare, declaring it would only ever happen in his dreams, even though she knew she'd probably give in and they'd enjoy some quality time in the shower before too long.

"Alright, smarty pants, how about this?" Kate said, placing her hands on her hips and smirking at him. Why wait? They were, after all, on a romantic getaway, even if it was at Jurassic Park. She could still have some fun. "Why don't you unpack while I call Alexis and let her know we've arrived, and maybe… just _maybe_… we'll see about that shower. What do say to that?"

"Deal!" Castle agreed all to readily, pressing a quick kiss to her lips, before spinning her around and nudging her out of the bedroom and back through the accordion connector.

Kate laughed, but complied, stepping into the small lounge. Light satin curtains covered the windows, and she parted them to glance outside. She was rewarded with a magnificent view of the lake and fields below the ridge. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the stunning sight. It was beautiful. The tropical paradise that spread out before her was breathtaking. Add in the sight of numerous species of dinosaurs lingering around the water's edge, and it was a marvel beyond compare. Kate recognized the sight from the monorail ride, knowing that now she was seeing it from the other direction. If she squinted her eyes just right, she could make out the monorail track in the distance.

She quickly brought her phone up and snapped a couple of photos to share with Alexis. Since the wedding, Kate found herself making more of an effort to bond with her husband's daughter, not that she hadn't been trying before. But now that she and Castle were finally married, Alexis was family. And though Alexis was technically her stepdaughter, Kate liked to think she took on more of a big sister kind of role. Taking a few more photos, these ones of the trailer's interior, Kate plopped down into one of the comfy lounge chairs, skimming through her contacts. Hitting Alexis's number with her thumb, she leaned back and brought her phone up to her ear, listening to the ringing.

She answered on the third ring.

"Hi, Alexis," Kate smiled. "Guess where we are?"

XXX

A low electric hum filled the air as he climbed up the ladder alongside the concrete pen. Most visitors believed the T-Rex to be the most fearsome dinosaur on display at Jurassic Park, but Robert Muldoon would disagree with them. The raptors were far more deadly in his opinion. He leaned against the railing and looked down at the loading bay, watching as a group of men coaxed a reluctant bovine into a harness.

It was feeding time. He made a point of always being present.

Muldoon walked along the raised platform, arching his neck as he glanced down into the pen. He couldn't see them, hardly ever could. The dense foliage concealed them. Still after all this time, he didn't know why they still kept them alive. Hardly any visitors were given a tour of the Velociraptor Pen, except for some extremely wealthy VIPs. Muldoon didn't see the point. The beasts were too dangerous. Yet another disagreement with his employer that was unending.

The winch gears buzzed to life, and Muldoon turned his head to watch as the cow, completely unaware of her impending death, was hoisted up into the air. They used to be able to send the unknowing bovine in through the loading gate. But that was before the big female's inclusion two years ago. She had quickly become the pack leader, killing off two of the others before seizing control. She made the other beasts more aggressive. And she was clever. Too clever. She had the others attacking the fences when the feeders came. So a new method of feeding them had to be devised.

Hammond had dismissed Muldoon's concerns, saying that the lions at his wildlife park in Kenya did the same thing before they grew accustomed to their captivity. But Muldoon didn't think that was the case here. These beasts were fierce predators, and were deadly smart. They never attacked the same place twice. They remembered.

Dr. Grant had felt the same way during the inspection tour two years ago. He had questioned the wisdom of breeding raptors, but as usual, Hammond had dismissed his concerns. Now the big female had had two years to firmly establish her regime, and Muldoon was growing worried about what plots that cunning predator was concocting. He had little doubts that it wouldn't be too long until they needed to come up with another method of feeding them, so sure he was that the raptors would find some weakness in this current method.

The crane swung overhead and Muldoon narrowed his eyes, watching as the unsuspecting cow was positioned over the upper gate. A buzz sounded, and the gates retracted enough so that the cow could be lowered into the pen. The beast mooed, and disappeared into the densely packed foliage.

Muldoon gripped the railings, heart pounding in anticipation. If he was honest with himself, this part always scared the shit out of him. An eerie silence filled the air. The cow mooed, sounding anxious and afraid. It had good reason to fear. Through the thick ferns, Muldoon caught a glimpse of something move. It was fast, so quick that if he hadn't known anything was there, he would have thought it was his imagination playing tricks on him.

Nothing happened for the next three minutes. Muldoon could see nothing inside the pen except for the sway of the large ferns in the gentle breeze. The cow mooed again. And then they struck. A horrific rolling howl and sharp roar filled the early evening air, and the foliage shook violently. The cow made a pitiful sound of terror.

And then everything went still.

It was over.

XXX

Castle plopped down on the bed, a lopsided grin still plastered on his face. He shifted, propping himself up on his elbow to watch Kate finish drying off her hair. The shower had been a bit of a squeeze, but it had been fun. And it helped that his gorgeous wife was extremely flexible. He definitely hit the jackpot with her. Kate spotted him staring and shook her head, giving him a little glare.

He held up a hand in surrender. "Yeah, yeah… I know… staring is creepy," he sighed, before hopping off the bed, and shuffling through the accordion to the front trailer. Castle had been staring at Kate Beckett for almost seven years now; he knew when to back off. Though, he could tell that her glare had only been half-hearted.

If they'd been staying in a hotel room, he'd call room service and order a bottle of their most expensive wine—preferably red. Kate and red wine was a perfect combination. But room service was kind of impossible here. Fortunately for him, it didn't appear he would need wine to get his wife in the mood. Kate had been particularly voracious in the shower. She'd even bit him between his shoulder and neck, marking him. The flesh was still tender, but oh so worth it. He never did mind it when Kate marked him. He liked the notion behind it.

Rummaging around the kitchenette, Castle was pleasantly surprised to see that the small refrigerator was stocked with some fruit and vegetables, along with some cheeses and meat slices. There was a also a six-pack of Pepsi, one of Jurassic Park's major corporate sponsors, and bottled water.

Castle grabbed a grape and popped it into his mouth before closing the refrigerator and heading into the lounge. He didn't know why Kate was so worried that he couldn't handle 'roughing it' in a trailer. He'd been in some slummy trailers in his day. In comparison to those, this was a presidential suite at a five star hotel. He found some books and two sets of binoculars lying on one of the end tables in the lounge area.

He let out a sigh when he sat down in one of the comfy armchairs, surprised by the soft cushions. He chuckled. _Yeah, this is roughing it_, he thought with amusement. Picking up one of the books, he grinned, and immediately began flipping through the pages. It was one of the books Dr. Alan Grant had written for the park, detailing each dinosaur on exhibit, along with his first hand account of his trip two years ago.

"Oh, Castle."

He tore his eyes away from the paragraph he'd been reading when he heard his wife's seductive voice. She was standing in the kitchenette, all bare legs and tousled hair, looking like sex on two legs. Well, she always kind of looked like that, especially when she wore those killer heels… which she was wearing now. He gulped, taking in the white silk robe she wore, or rather the lack of. The robe was scandalous. It barely covered her.

"Yes, Kate?" he gulped, unable to conceal the unrestrained lust and arousal in his eyes as he took in her glorious form.

Kate arched an enticing eyebrow in his direction, shifting her hips slightly into a more provocative stance. "The shower was fun and all, Castle," she purred in that damn sexy voice of hers. "But I do believe you promised me that we would… _rock_ this trailer tonight."

Castle practically pounced out of the armchair, leaving the book forgotten as he lunged for his wife. Kate giggled and moaned as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her fiercely. He slipped his hands along her thighs and ass, lifting her up into his arms. Kate growled in desire, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Castle smirked mischievously, and took her to bed.

And the trailer most definitely rocked that night.


	6. Explorers

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 5 – Explorers**

* * *

John Hammond leaned back in his chair, monitoring the control room. Ray Arnold was directing most of the staff while Hammond sipped his morning cup of tea. Early weather reports had a small storm system moving in, but it was nothing they couldn't handle. The power grid was fully functional, and the back-up system was placed on stand-by, just in case. Hammond didn't expect anything, but as his Head Game Warden Robert Muldoon was fond of saying, it was better to be safe than sorry.

He was absently watching security footage arrayed in a series of several sectioned off windows to the left of the main central screen, which always displayed a digitally rendered map of the entire island. Hammond enjoyed the voyeuristic kind of thrill he got from observing the visitors of the park. Right now the screens were showing the breakfast crowd in the Visitor Center cafeteria. There were several families watching in line at the buffet. A rather attractive couple was stuck in the middle of the throng, but they didn't seem to mind, too absorbed in one another to care about anything else.

"Looks like we've got a pair of newlyweds with us," Hammond declared, gesturing towards the section of the security monitors that showed the couple. Arnold briefly glanced up from his work, gave a brief nod of agreement—the unlit cigarette wiggling between his pursed lips—and then ducked his head back down to the computer, punching in some commands on his keyboard.

Hammond grinned, and raised his cup of tea back to his lips for another sip. His eyes flicked up when he heard the hiss of the door. Placing the cup back in the saucer, Hammond craned his neck around to spy Dennis Nedry shuffling in. The large man waddled down the ramp and maneuvered around the various computer banks and terminals, easing down a small flight of steps until he reached his messy workstation. Crumpled up candy bar wrappers and crushed soda cans littered the desktop, and the small bin sitting off to the side of the desk was overflowing with trash. Hammond shook his head in disgust. Nedry may be a pig, but the man was a brilliant coder.

Nedry plopped down into his chair, and shoved some plastic wrappers aside, before placing a can of Barbasol between two monitors.

"Nice of you to finally join us, Dennis," he hollered down. "Enjoy your time on the mainland?"

Nedry spun around in his chair, the gears squeaking and protesting under his considerable weight. He adjusted his glasses. "Yes, John, I did," he said.

Hammond gritted his teeth, biting his tongue. He really disliked how informal Nedry was, but his skills and talents with computer programming were enough to compensate for his lack of formality. Hammond had learned to live with it over the past two years. However, today it just irked him. But before he could reprimand the man, he was interrupted by the arrival of Muldoon.

"Ah, Nedry, you're back," the game warden said, taking off his hat and tossing it down on one of the few open flat surfaces. "I was wondering when you were going to run that check on the perimeter fences."

"And some of the phones need debugging," Arnold added. "Not to mention the security system is due for a diagnostic."

Hammond pursed his lips and hid his smirk behind the rim of his teacup. It was quite satisfying to see his other employees take charge and remind the fat ass of his job. Nedry, however, did not appear put-off or aggravated by their reminders as he usually would. Instead, he flashed them all a disarmingly friendly and polite smile.

"Thanks for the reminder, fellas. I'll get right on that," he proclaimed, right after adjusting his glasses and rolling the chair back around to face his computer terminal.

Hammond knitted his eyebrows together as he stared at the large man punch away on his keyboard. He took a hesitant sip of his tea. It was odd. Something was… different about Nedry. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it. At least Dennis Nedry was no longer stalling and actually doing his job. Hammond shrugged the strange feeling off.

It was probably nothing.

XXX

"You've got our tickets, right?" Castle asked, craning his neck over her shoulder to glance down at her purse.

Kate stifled her eye roll and gave him a nod, digging her hand into the stylish leather bag and producing the two tickets for his inspection. "Right here," she proclaimed, pursing her lips and smiling at the excited glee that flashed across her husband's blue eyes.

They were standing in a small queue with the rest of their tour group. There was a father with his son and daughter—eleven and fourteen, respectively—waiting in front of them. The boy was jabbering away to his sister, telling her all about what he'd read in Dr. Grant's book. Kate smirked, sharing a knowing look with her husband. He hadn't really been able to finish the book last night after she'd surprised him with that skimpy outfit she'd purchased specifically for their island getaway. Castle winked back at her and added in a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows, before dipping his head to press a chaste kiss to her lips. Kate hummed into his mouth, and leaned back into his chest, remembering their morning.

Castle had woken up early, all but vibrating with anticipation. He had put that excited energy to good use, waking Kate up for a delicious morning round of lovemaking. They were definitely making up for a lack of a proper honeymoon. He jokingly said that they were making up for lost time, a veiled reference to his missing two months. Kate thought it was silly, but if such thinking had Castle rocking her world like he had been since they finally got reacquainted with their love life, then who was she to complain?

After sending in a call for a jeep, Kate had grabbed Castle's hand and pulled him into the shower stall with her. She had rolled her eyes at the idea last night, but she had to admit, it was fun squeezing in there together and finding ways to make it work. Neither her or Castle were shy about experimenting. And, to be honest, Kate did enjoy that awed look in his eyes whenever she demonstrated just how flexible she really was.

They had enjoyed breakfast from the buffet in the Visitor Center cafeteria. After which, they just meandered around the displays and exhibits until it was time for their scheduled Botanical Walk. Castle paid a little extra so they could have the headsets with a narration by Dr. Ellen Sattler of all the plants along the walk. Kate had looped her arm through Castle's and they'd enjoyed a nice leisurely walk through the prehistoric garden.

Kate had made reservations for them at the Tree Top Café, which was located within the Botanical Garden. Castle squealed like a schoolboy when they arrived, finding out that the entire restaurant looked like a tree house built into a large tree that appeared as if it was from the Cretaceous period. It was really a fake tree, but it looked real, right down to the small pockmarks and rough edges along the bark. The detail was extraordinary. The craftsman and artisans who had worked on it had definitely been extremely talented.

Lunch had been amazing. Castle had enjoyed a club sandwich with fries, while Kate had an almond cranberry salad with small chunks of grilled chicken… and some of his fries. The Tree Top Café had had an extensive lunchtime menu, and they had both agreed to have lunch there at least one more time during their visit. After lunch, they perused the shops and souvenir kiosks along Jurassic Boulevard until it got closer to their scheduled 2 o'clock park tour.

The queue was situated on the rear entrance of the Visitor Center, which looked similar to the front. The tall doors stood wide open, either side fringed by stone reliefs of dinosaur fossils. Before them, a road curved along the building, palm trees dotting the edge. A single track ran down the middle of the gravel road, a very distinct electric hum emanating from it.

"So which dinosaur are you most looking forward to seeing?" Castle inquired, pulling Kate out of her reverie, his hand rubbing up and down her back.

She cocked her head to glance at him with a slightly amused expression. "I know you'd like me to say the T-Rex, but I'm actually more interested in the triceratops," Kate said. "Actually, they were my favorite as a kid."

"It was the horns, wasn't it," Castle asked with a smirk and waggle of his eyebrows. "You were a _horny_ kid, weren't you?"

Kate groaned and rolled her eyes. "Really, Castle… so immature."

"You like that about me," he asserted, leaning into her side, his hand slipping further down her back until he was palming her ass.

Thankfully she was able to suppress her gasp of surprise. She gave him a little heated glare and gestured towards the children with their father. "Castle," she reprimanded him. "Save it for later… okay?"

He winked suggestively, yet obeyed, readjusting his hand up to rest against the small of her back. She rewarded his compliance with a quick peck on his cheek.

Just then, hidden speakers began playing a musical fanfare, and Kate and Castle turned with everyone else to look towards the tunnel on their left, where the rays of headlights could be seen coming out of the blackness. As the fanfare reached a crescendo, two customized Ford Explorers, painted in a stylized green and yellow camouflage, emerged from the tunnel, driverless and silent, save for the low electric hum. The roofs had been replaced with curved plexiglass, which would give riders better views of the dinosaurs on exhibit. The cars rolled to a stop, perfectly in sync with the music.

Three attendants, dressed in safari uniforms and all wearing a black cap emblazoned with the Jurassic Park logo on it, stepped out of a control booth off to the side. Two of them went over to the cars and began opening the doors, while the third walked over to the front of the queue, and unlatched the gate keeping them from the track. The father with the two kids handed the man their tickets, and they were directed to the first Explorer.

Kate dug their tickets back out of her bag as they moved up in line. She handed the attendant their tickets, and he directed them towards the second Explorer. Castle practically skipped ahead of her, shoeing away the attendant so he could gallantly open the passenger door for her. She gave him an amusing look, as she slipped past him and sat down. As soon as he closed the door, he rushed around to climb into the driver's seat besides her.

"Look at this, it's so cool!" he grinned, skimming his fingers over the steering wheel locked in place in front of him.

"The cars are fully automated, Castle," Kate said, settling into her seat. "It's not like you'll be driving or anything. They'll run along the track."

"I know," he said. "I just think it's cool."

She smirked at him, giving his thigh an affectionate pat as he curled his fingers around the grip on the wheel. He grinned like a schoolboy at Christmas. It was the same with the Indiana Jones Ride at Disneyland. During their winter vacation, they'd gone to L.A. for a meeting with some studio execs at ABC who were interested in turning Derrick Storm into a TV show. Kate was only there for the vacation and California sun. Alexis had come along, with the intention of visiting her mom. But Meredith had been too busy filming some low-budget Syfy Channel monster movie to even spend lunch with her daughter. So the trio had gone to Disneyland instead.

So, just as with the Indiana Jones Ride, Kate opted to indulge her husband's inner child. Besides, it brought out the sparkle in his blue eyes. She watched as he played with the touch screen on the center of the dashboard.

"You think we'll get this car to ourselves?" Castle questioned, glancing over at her with a mischievous smile as his eyes dropped down to soak in the sight of her bare legs. She grinned, knowing that she was driving him crazy by wearing such short shorts.

"I don't think so, babe," she said, purposefully shifting her legs enticingly, just to rile him up further. And sure enough, Castle's eyes grew dark and she noticed his fingers twitch with yearning.

He shifted in his seat, reaching across the center console to skim his fingertips along the bare skin of her legs. He began to move his fingers up her thigh, a trail of gooseflesh manifested along his wake, but before he could reach his intended destination, another couple joined them, climbing into the backseats of the car. Castle quickly pulled his hand back, and Kate released a breathless sigh, both in relief and disappointment.

"Hello, I'm Sally," a buxom blonde in a tight pink shirt beamed, extending her hand. "And this is Todd. We just got engaged!"

"Hi," Todd casually waved as he buckled himself in, definitely not as enthusiastic about announcing it as his fiancée was.

"Congratulations," Kate shook Sally's hand. "I'm Kate, and this is my husband, Rick."

Castle smiled at the young pair, and shook Sally's proffered hand. Her brow furrowed as she looked at him. It only took a moment for realization to strike.

"Oh my god, you're Richard Castle, aren't you!?" she squealed in delight, and Kate narrowed her eyes as the high-pitched sound threatened to burst her eardrums. Sally's fiancé gave her an apologetic look as the blonde continued to squeal elatedly.

"Guilty as charge," he grinned, pulling out the classic Castle charm.

Sally looked like she was about to swoon. Todd looked annoyed. Kate was about to intercede when, fortunately, the car speakers began filling the car interior with music, and the attendant's voice broke through, listing off the safety instructions. Everyone settled back into their seats and listened. After the attendant finished, there was an electric thrum, and the Explorers started to move forward.

Castle reached across the center console and Kate took his offered hand, interlacing their fingers together as they sharing an excited look.

A recording of John Hammond's voice came through the speakers as the Explorers rolled on, following the curved road around the small lagoon, heading towards a tree line and the densely packed foliage that surrounded the track.

"_This is John Hammond, Founder and C.E.O. of InGen Bioengineering_," Hammond's recorded voice spoke to the riders. "_In just a few moments, you will be transported back in time, to a world were dinosaurs ruled the Earth. The voice you will soon be hearing is Richard Kiley. We've spared no expense_."

The cars rolled on down the track, tropical plants on either side. The musical fanfare spilled out of the car speakers. Up ahead of them was a large gate, the two enormous pillars topped with blazing torches. As they approached the gates, the voice of the late Richard Kiley—who must have recorded this narration before his death—broke through the music as the large gate parted for the Explorers.

"_Welcome to Jurassic Park_."


	7. Tour

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 6 – Tour**

* * *

There wasn't much after the enormous gate, which disappointed Castle. He had been expecting something awesome immediately following their passage through the gate, but instead the pair of Explorers rolled passed a grove of low, stumpy palm trees. He glanced over at Kate, who shrugged. Soon, his confusion was answered by Richard Kiley's narration.

"_Notice, first of all, the remarkable plant life that surrounds you. Those trees to your left and right are called cycads, the prehistoric predecessors of palms trees. Cycads were a favorite food of the dinosaur. You can also see—_"

"Didn't we learn all this during the Botanical Walk?" Castle asked, scowling like a little boy being told he couldn't have cake for breakfast.

"Shh," Kate shushed him, giving him a little glare in reprimand. She then softened her rebuke, by reaching across the center console and giving his thigh a reassuring pat.

Castle sighed, and leaned back into his chair, flicking his eyes down to the center console where the touch screen was displaying more information about the various prehistoric plants Richard Kiley was talking about in his narration. He wanted to see dinosaurs, not plants. _Who cared about some stupid old plants?_ Castle grumbled to himself, crossing his arms and staring out at the stumpy palm trees as the cars drove past them.

"_Most dinosaurs were not as large as people think_," Richard Kiley's narration filtered back into his hearing. "_The smallest dinosaurs were no bigger than a house cat, and the average dinosaur was about as big as a pony. We are first going to visit one of these average-sized animals, called Hypsilophodon. If you look to your left, you may catch a glimpse of them now._"

Castle perked up at the mention of dinosaurs, and shifted in his seat, pressing his face against the driver's side window as he tried to find the dinosaurs Richard Kiley mentioned amongst the tropical plants. The Explorers slowed to a stop on a low rise. There was a break in the foliage that provided them a view of the field below. He squinted, but couldn't see anything. Castle moved over a little as Kate unbuckled her seatbelt, and stretched across the center console. He placed a hand on her arm to steady her as she looked out his window.

"Do you see anything?" he asked.

Kate narrowed her eyes and her eyebrows knitted together adorably. "No, not yet," she gave him a sideways glance. "Do you know what these… Hypo—hyposil—fo—dons look like?" she asked, struggling through the dinosaur's name.

"_Hypsilophodon_," Castle enunciated. "And no. I've never really heard of them, though I did see the name listed in the Jurassic Park Dinosaur directory."

"I don't get it," Todd groaned from the backseat. "It's just a bunch of stupid trees."

Though Castle was inclined to agree with the young man, he wasn't so quick to whine as Todd appeared to be. Sally shushed him, her high-pitched voice grating on his ears. He shared a look of shared sympathy with Kate, whose ears were also affected by the young woman's piercing voice. The dashboard touch screen was currently showing more information on the Hypsilophodon, including some pictures. Castle arched his neck, squinting his eyes at the image currently on display.

"Trees!" he exclaimed. "That's it. In the trees!"

"In the trees?" Todd questioned from the backseat. "Dinosaurs in trees?"

Castle ignored him and turned back to scan the field, this time paying particular attention to the trees. He still could not see anything, and he pursed his lips together, trying to hide his growing pout.

"There!" Kate said, pointing towards a cluster of trees in the upper left quadrant of the field. "Halfway up that big green trunk."

He shifted, twisting his neck, and squinted, narrowing in on the area Kate had indicated. Damn. She had good eyes. In the dappled shadows of the swaying tree a motionless, dark green animal about the size of a baboon stood on a branch. "Creepy," Castle murmured. "It's just sitting there. Where do you think the rest of the herd is?"

Kate shrugged, shifting to place her hand on his shoulder for better stability. He tilted his head slightly and took in her wide eyes and amazed gaze. He smiled softly to himself, pleased that his wife was actually enjoying herself… even if the dinosaur was just sitting there staring out at nothing.

"Kind of reminds me of you," Kate said with an amused smirk. "You know… with the creepy staring."

"Hey," he protested with a huff, frowning at her.

"Oh! It's moving!" squeaked Sally, and Castle and Kate cringed at the piercing sound, silently praying that their eardrums could survive the afternoon.

The small dinosaur stretched its neck, opening its jaw. Even from this distance, they could hear the long nasal call it made. It then turned around on all fours, using its dexterous forearms to steady its balance as it scrambled down the tree. Within moments, six dinosaurs appeared at the base of the tree trunk, all about the size of a large deer. The heads were a dull green, with a mottling of dark browns and blacks that extended down their slender necks. All of them seemed to be chewing, like a cow would with its cud. The small dinosaur they'd seen first hopped down from one of the lower branches of the tree and joined the others.

"That one must be a juvenile," Castle said.

One of the larger hypsilophodons reached up with its five-fingered hand and scratched its head. The gesture gave the creature and almost pensive look. Its dark eyes scanned the field, lingering on a moment on the two green and yellow explorers, before glancing away. It stretched its neck up and issued a low nasally call, and soon the small group were on the move.

The electric motor of the car started up, and there was a grinding of gears. At the unexpected sound, the herd of hypsilophodons suddenly leapt into the air and bounded above the grass like kangaroos, showing their full bodies with massive hind legs and long tails in the afternoon sunlight. In a few leaps, they had disappeared into foliage.

"_Now that we've had a look at these fascinating herbivores_," came Richard Kiley's voice over the speakers, "_we will now move on to some dinosaurs that are a little larger. Quite a bit larger, in fact._"

Kate shifted back into her seat as the Explorer began to roll forward. Castle kept her steady with one hand. She buckled herself back in and flashed him an appreciative look. He smiled, overjoyed to see the sparkling in her eyes. Kate Beckett's inner child was showing.

XXX

Ray Arnold sat at his workstation in the darken control room staring at the large monitor on the left, absently chewing on the unlit cigarette in his mouth. The afternoon park tour had just departed from the hypsilophodon paddock. "Gears are grinding," he said out loud. "Have maintenance check the electric clutch on vehicle D7 when they come back."

"Yes, Mr. Arnold," replied a voice on the intercom.

"What's up next, folks?" he called out to his staff.

"Stegos and Trikes, Ankylosaurus, followed by Dilophosaurus, and then Rex," one of the tour supervisors called out.

"Right," Arnold nodded, momentarily playing with his unlit cigarette, before putting it back between his pursed lips. He rolled his chair over to a second batch of monitors. "Vehicle headlights should not be on," he said, tapping the erasure end of his pencil against the screen. "It'll drain the car batteries." He rolled his chair back and arched his neck to glanced down at Dennis Nedry. The large man was studiously working on something—for a change. It was odd seeing the man so focused on his work. "Hey, Dennis…"

Nedry looked up. His glasses slipped down his nose, and he reached up to push them back up. "Yeah?"

"Can you check the tour program and see why the headlights are operating in daytime?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Arnold," Nedry smiled, and Arnold felt a cold shivering sensation dance up his spine. It was an eerie sight, seeing Nedry being so polite and formal, eager to please. The large man went back to his work, his fat fingers typing furiously over the keyboard.

Arnold shook his head. As long as Dennis Nedry did his assignments on schedule, he couldn't care less about what had brought upon the man's sudden efficient work ethic. Still… it was damn peculiar.

XXX

She was on cloud nine. Kate couldn't keep the excited grin off her face, even if she wanted to. They'd just watched a herd of Stegosaurs and Triceratops intermingled peacefully at a watering hole. Amongst the larger creatures, little tri-horned juveniles had scampered around the adults' feet, darting back and forth as if they were playing a game. It was one thing to see the fossils, but quite another to witness living, flesh and blood, versions of those very same creatures that had once only existed in her imagination. It really was miraculous.

"Rick," she said, reaching out across the center console to grab his hand, giving it a slight squeeze to gain his attention. He looked up from the touch screen, which was still running information on the Ankylosaurus—one of the other dinosaurs they'd just seen lumbering around the valley beneath the bluff that the Explorers had stopped on.

"Yes?"

"I… this… I just wanted to say thank you," Kate said after she took a breath.

"For what?" his brow furrowed adorably, making him look like a confused little boy.

She gave him a small smile, and ducked her head, playing with his fingers. "At first, I was a little annoyed that we weren't spending our tropical island getaway on some remote island in the Maldives, but… after… after seeing that, I just want you to know that I'm glad you talked me into this trip."

"It was the triceratops, right?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Little ten-year-old Kate Beckett got to see her favorite dinosaur in the flesh, is that it?"

Her cheeks blushed a light pinkish hue, betraying her. "Yes," she admitted softly. "And it was amazing. So, again… thank you for talking me into this."

Castle's lips quirked up into a smirk, and his eyes twinkled. "It's what I'm here for, eh?" he chuckled. "What are husband's for, if not to talk their wives into going on ridiculous vacations?"

Kate laughed lightly and shook her head at him, before beckoning him closer for a soft kiss. He hummed into her mouth, moving a hand up to cup her jaw, rubbing her cheek with the pad of his thumb. He then did that thing with this tongue that always made her moan. She eagerly parted her lips for him, and he deepened the kiss. It wasn't until Todd cleared his throat from the backseat that Kate remembered that they weren't alone in the Explorer. She ducked her head, and bit her lower lip, trying to stifle the blush as she settled herself back down into the passenger seat.

Castle winked at her, and she laughed, rolling her eyes at him as he pantomimed steering the Explorer along the curve in the road. Just above the treetops, they could make out the curved dome of the Jurassic Park Aviary in the far distance. The glass glittered in the afternoon sunlight. The cars took another turn and came to a stop at the top of a low rise, where there was a break in the foliage. Kate turned and glanced down at the sloping field broken by a river.

"_To the right, you will see a herd of Dilophosaurus_," Richard Kiley's voice announced.

It really should not have surprised her, but it did, when Castle practically tore his seatbelt off before scrambling over the center panel and pressed his face up against the passenger side window, stretching over her. Kate chuckled, shifting in her seat to give broad shoulders room to squeeze in. Playfully knocking their heads together, they looked out at the riverbed below.

"See anything?" Castle inquired.

"Nah, nothing," Kate hummed, keeping her eyes peeled. There were a lot of beautiful plants, and the river flowing through the sloping field was an idyllic view to be sure, but there was no sign of a herd of anything.

Meanwhile, Richard Kiley's voice continued: "_One of the earliest carnivores, we now know Dilophosaurus is actually poisonous, spitting its venom at its prey, causing blindness and eventually paralysis, allowing the carnivore to eat at its leisure. This makes Dilophosaurus a beautiful, but deadly addition to Jurassic Park._" His narration was followed by a ludicrous melody of corny scary music, that made Castle snort in amusement. Kate pursed her lips, but couldn't prevent them from tugging up in shared mirth.

The cars stood still for several minutes, the corny music continuing to play through the speakers. But there was nothing. Castle jabbed his palm against the console in frustration and retracted, plopping back down into his seat. Kate reached up and rubbed her hand along his shoulder, soothing him. "Don't pout, you big baby," she consoled, finding his little boy expression a little funny. "According to the dashboard screen… T-Rex is next."


	8. Lights Out

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 7 – Lights Out**

* * *

"What's this I hear about a storm?" Hammond inquired as he strolled down the ramp, leaning heavily against his cane with each step.

Arnold looked up from the computer monitor, the unlit cigarette bobbing in his lips. He stood up to meet Hammond on the raised platform in the center of the darkened control room. He gestured towards a large monitor to their right, which showed a detailed Doppler radar of the small island chain and the west coast of Costa Rica.

"That storm center hasn't dissipated or changed course," he said. "We were hoping it would, but it seems Mother Nature has a different plan. We're going to have to cut the tour short, I'm afraid. Pick it up again tomorrow where we left off."

"That's unacceptable," Hammond grounded out. "We have paying customers. We can't just go around rescheduling the park tours because of some bloody storm."

"It's a big one, John," Arnold tried again, using his employer's first name so that the man would understand the severity of it. "Similar to the one that hit us during the inspection two years ago. We got lucky then, but it's not worth taking a chance… especially with paying customers."

"Fine," Hammond grumbled, obviously disappointed. "I'll have to tell Miss Hemshaw to set up a new rotation for the tours."

"It's for the best, sir," Arnold reassured him, stepping back over to his workstation to pick up his phone. "I'll give Muldoon a call. He's probably going to want to ensure that we batten down and secure some of the pens."

Hammond turned around, glowering. If there was one thing he loathed more than a meeting with his Board of Directors, it was disappointing paying customers. He had made Jurassic Park for them. He wanted to share InGen's discoveries with the entire world. He jammed the butt of his cane against the floor and cursed. "Damn!"

XXX

The Explorers curved around a large river while Richard Kiley's voice informed them of the River Ride Adventure attraction. According to his narration, park visitors would soon get to ride a raft down the river through the habits of the more docile herbivore exhibits. Castle turned to Kate with a grin and waggled his eyebrows.

"That sounds fun," he asserted. "We'll have to come back when that attraction opens up."

Kate replied with a noncommittal shrug. "Sure, and maybe we could make it a family thing. Bring Alexis and Martha."

"Hmm," Castle hummed in thought, rubbing his chin. "I don't know about Mother, but Alexis would definitely be game. Ooh, and perhaps Lanie and the boys might be interested. It would be nice to spend some time together other than at crime scenes."

Kate inclined her head, really liking the idea, much to his relief. "Yes, Castle, that sounds good. We should discuss it when we get back home."

Castle reached across the center console and took her hand in his, quickly interlacing their fingers, just wanting to hold her hand. She pursed her lips and smiled back at him. His eyes sparkled and hers locked with his. Castle slowly rubbed the pad of his thumb across her knuckles, and Kate returned the gesture. He could feel the mutual love and respect pulse between them. It still stunned him that a woman such as Kate Beckett would actually want to be with him, to love him. For a time, Castle was ashamed to admit, he'd actually given up on the idea of true love. But when he met Kate Beckett, his world changed. She was everything he didn't know he was looking for. And he supposed it had been the same for her.

"This is so boring," Todd complained from the back, breaking the sweet moment between husband and wife. Castle nearly groaned out loud, wishing he'd been able to talk the park attendant into letting them ride alone in the Explorer. Kate didn't even try and suppress her eye roll as the man continued. "We haven't seen any cool dinosaurs yet. Just stupid plant eaters!"

"Ah, come on, honey," Sally tried to soothe her fiancé with her high-pitched voice, grating on everyone's ears. Castle glanced back at the couple through their reflection in rearview mirror. Even Todd looked annoyed at her voice. He seriously hoped the young man knew what he'd signed up for when he'd proposed to the woman with the piercing voice.

Castle tried to block them out as the started to bicker. He exchanged a look with Kate and she furrowed her brow, reaching up with her free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. Besides the couple sharing the Explorer with them—well, more precisely Todd, Sally was okay, except for her high-pitched voice—the tour had been rather enjoyable. As he leaned back in his chair, trying to focus on listening to Richard Kiley's voice—he was now telling them about the different theories on the tyrannosaur behavior that had now either been proven or disproven—Castle noticed that fat droplets of water were starting to pebble the windshield. He arched his neck and flicked his eyes up towards the looming gray clouds slowly forming overhead.

"Looks like one hell of a storm's brewing," he said, glancing over at Kate with an amused tug to his lips. "Get it… _storm's brewing_?"

Kate rolled her eyes.

XXX

Hammond shifted his weight in the chair, spinning his amber topped cane around in his fingers, staring at the ancient mosquito trapped within the amber. He was absently aware of the hubbub around him as the control room staff worked to prepare the island for the oncoming storm.

"I've had the maintenance crews get to work at preparing the emergency bunkers," Arnold informed him, pulling him out of his malaise. "Just in case."

"Better to be safe than sorry," Hammond inclined his head, repeating Game Warden Muldoon's oft-said motto. He frowned and stamped his foot in frustration. "Rotten luck, this storm."

"We'll weather it," Arnold assured him, "just like the others." He leaned over his workstation, checking on something. A wiry grin had his lips curling up, and he twirled the unlit cigarette in his fingers.

"What is it?" Hammond asked, his brow furrowing as he arched his neck and squinted, trying to make out what was on the computer screen.

"I found a way to re-route through the tour program," Arnold said, placing the unlit cigarette back between his lips. "After the Rex stop, the cars will turn around in the rest area loop." The phone rung on his desk and he picked it up. Hammond absently listened to Arnold's half of the conversation. "Muldoon's on his way back," Arnold informed him after he hung up. "The raptor pen is bunkered down and secure, running on the back-up generators."

"You don't think we'd lose power, do you?"

"Just being safe, sir," Arnold said, rolling his chair over to another computer at his workstation. He typed in a few commands, and rolled back, giving Hammond a soothing look. "It could be worse, John. It could be a lot worse."

Hammond nodded in agreement. Out of everything that could have happened, a small storm wasn't too bad. And, in the scheme of things, doing a reschedule of the park tour wasn't really that big of a deal. "We'll give them a voucher for a free lunch at the Tree Top Café," he suggested. Arnold gave an absent nod.

"Anybody want a Coke?" Dennis Nedry asked as he stood up, shaking slightly as he zipped up a large pale blue jacket around his rotund form. "Anybody want something from the machines? A soda or something? I thought I'd get something sweet."

Hammond and Arnold both shook their heads, equally puzzled by Nedry's nervous ramblings. The big man started to leave, but then stopped, turning back toward them with what have must be an afterthought.

"Oh, I finished de-bugging the phones," Nedry babbled out so fast that his words nearly slurred together. "And I've started running that diagnostic on the security system that you asked for. So the system's compiling for eighteen minutes… or twenty. So, some minor systems may go on and off for a while. There's nothing to worry about. Simple thing…

"Okay, Dennis," Hammond interrupted him. "We get it. Go get your soda."

Nedry nodded, and turned back around to one of the computers at his station. He typed something, and then grabbed the can of shaving cream, shoving it into his jacket pocket as he huffed up the small steps and shuffled up the ramp towards the security door. He was gone before anyone took notice.

XXX

Robert Muldoon drove his jeep down the long ramp and into the basement garage underneath the Visitor Center. It was beginning to rain out there. He'd made sure that the raptor pen was locked down and secure. The big female was a clever girl, and it wouldn't be the first time that she'd try something during a storm. He wanted to be prepared for such an occasion. Still, if he had his way, they'd put the bitch down and be done with the lot of them. Unfortunately, his employer did not see it the same way.

He turned his jeep to the right, and the wet wheels squealed against the dry concrete as he expertly parked the jeep into one of the empty slots in the garage. Killing the engine, Muldoon pulled the keys out of the ignition. For a moment, he remained in his seat, not for the first time contemplating accepting Hammond's job offer.

Muldoon had hunted big game in Africa, providing rich weekend warriors with a taste of the safari. During the lull between hunting seasons, he had found employment at Hammond's park in Kenya as a game warden. Part of him wished he was still there, but at the time, when Hammond had first mentioned the idea of Jurassic Park, the challenge of supervising some of the deadliest predators that had ever existed had been too enticing.

Sighing, knowing it was a little too late to second-guess his career decisions, Muldoon popped the door open and climbed out of the jeep. Stepping out of the parking slot, he spotted Wallace, one of the chaperon drivers, talking with another driver.

"No, I'm telling you," Wallace was saying. "It was Richard Castle. You know, the guy who writes those crime novels."

"You sure?" the other driver said.

Wallace nodded. "My ex-girl friend was really into his books. She really liked them. She forced me to stand in line with her at a signing once."

"Isn't he married to some New York cop or something?"

"I don't know, but if he is, he certainly found the hottest one," Wallace said. "I'm telling you, she was like a model. Long legs, perfect figure… and damn… she had the best ass I'd ever seen."

Muldoon narrowed his eyes, overhearing their conversation. If Mr. Castle and his wife really were guests, Muldoon didn't like them gossiping about them like this. He cleared his throat, catching their attention.

"Hey, Wallace, can you fill up my jeep?" he asked, but it was more of an order.

"Sure thing, Mr. Muldoon," Wallace said, accepting the keys as he tossed them to him.

Muldoon stalked across the parking garage, leaving the two men behind him. From the glare he shot them, he was certain they knew he'd overheard their conversation, and had disapproved. He headed for the staff elevator. He pulled his keycard out of his pocket and swiped it through the security panel. The monitor blinked on and his picture flashed across the screen, before the elevator dinged and the doors rattled open. He stepped inside, adjusting his jacket, and punched the button for the control room, ready to stand watch for the duration.

XXX

Dennis Nedry waddled down the hall, occasionally glancing anxiously over his shoulder. He shook his arm, and tugged down the sleeve of the jacket, uncovering his wrist. His eyes narrowed in on the watch. "Almost there," he mumbled to himself, and picked up the pace, pumping his thick legs.

He moved around the corner and let out a small sigh of relief when he found a silver door labeled: _Embryonic Cold Storage_. He bent down, pressing himself against the wall, and proceeded to slowly shimmy along the concrete wall until he was right up next to the door. He flicked his eyes up through the plexiglass window in the center of the door, seeing the security camera slowly rotate back and forth. Shaking his arm, he tugged the sleeve of the jacket back again, and checked his watch.

"Five, four, three, two… one."

On cue, the security lock panel went dark, and the security camera stopped, the red light indicating active status winking off. Nedry grabbed the large flat door handle, pulling it out, and opening it. The door opened with a hiss. He shuffled through, hurrying into the freezer. Reaching inside his jacket pocket, he pulled out the can of Barbasol shaving cream.

Nedry headed over to the cooler, unscrewing the can as he went. Shivering from the chill in the storage freezer, he rushed over to a flat-topped pillar situated in the middle of the room that was labeled with the words: _Viable Embryos – Handle With Extreme Care_.Nedry ran his tongue along his lips in a nervous fashion as he pulled the lever, and the seal on top of the pillar popped open with a hiss, white mist issuing out around the opening. A lighted column with slotted compartments rose up from the opening.

Each slot was marked by the name of a dinosaur, _Stegosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pteranodon, Triceratops, Velociraptor_, and _Tyrannosaurus Rex_ to name a few. Nedry quickly set to work taking the thin glass slides out of the rack, one by one, and depositing them within the waiting slot in the shaving cream can that Dodgson had provided him with. Collecting enough specimens, Nedry pushed the lever back into position and watched as the column lowered back into the pillar. The top hatch closed with a hiss.

Exhaling and seeing his breath fog in front of him, Nedry hurried back to the door, screwing the shaving can back together as he went. He grabbed the flat door handle, tugged it up and the door slid open. He quickly shuffled through it and rushed down the hallway, huffing and puffing, cheeks pink. He cut around the corner and headed for the garage.

XXX

Ray Arnold pulled a lighter out of his pocket. He was just about to indulge in his daily cigarette when something on the computer terminal caught his attention. His brow furrowed in puzzlement as red and blue lines along a map of the Visitor Center started blinking off in succession.

"What the…?" he mumbled, the unlit cigarette dropping from his mouth.

Hammond lowered his cup of tea as he raised his eyebrows in question. Muldoon, who had returned from checking on the raptor pen, stepped over, scowling down at the computer screen with a confused expression.

"What is it, Ray?" Hammond asked.

"The door security systems are shutting down," Arnold informed them.

Hammond shrugged his shoulders and raised his teacup back to his lips. "Well, Nedry said a few systems would go off-line, didn't he?"

XXX

Thunder sounded in the distance. The dark clouds were now covering the late afternoon sun and the rain was now coming down in thick droplets, smacking against the windshield. It had only taken a second or two after the first signs of rain before the automatic wipers started whishing back and forth over the windshield. The headlights illuminated the track ahead of them, the Explorer in front of them just barely visible through the thick downpour.

Castle sighed, and leaned back into his chair. "I don't think we'll get to see the T-Rex in all this rain," he pouted, sticking out his lower lip. Kate gave his knee a sympathetic pat.

"This is bullshit, man," Todd grumbled in the backseat. "They better give us something after this shit."

"Honey, calm down," Sally tried to soothe him. Todd mumbled something under his breath, and gratefully went quiet.

The Explorers broke out of the dense foliage, rolling up alongside a curved electrified fence. Off to the right of the tall fence, stood a sign informing them that they'd arrived at the Tyrannosaur Paddock. Both cars slowed to a stop. And Richard Kiley's voice filtered through the speakers, providing them with further information on the Tyrannosaurus Rex. "_Here we'll see the famous 'Tyrant King' of the Cretaceous. It is interesting to note that—_" Kiley's narration suddenly went silent and the touch screen display on the center console winked off, going dark. The low electric hum that had come from the electric track along the center of the road ceased.

"Did… did the power just go out?" Sally asked from the backseat, the waver of distress unmistakable, even through her high-pitched voice.

Castle glanced around, his brow furrowing as he exchanged a look with Kate. "The headlights are still on," he shrugged.

"They could be running off the batteries," Kate suggested. She shifted forward, bringing her hand up to the center console. Castle watched as she pressed a circular button with a stylized question mark on it. Nothing happened. She pressed it again. And again… nothing. She looked up at Castle, her hazel eyes filling with worry. "The intercom is out."

"Great!" cursed Todd. "Now we're stuck in the middle of a storm."

Castle shook his head, ignoring the man as he continued to rant, Sally doing her best to calm him. Kate kept trying to get the Jurassic Park internal "OnStar" button to work, but it was futile. The power was out. Castle tilted his head and gazed out the side window, staring up at the tall fence curving along the side of the road. A tight knot of anxiety formed in the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't right. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was definitely something wrong. He narrowed his eyes at the fence, arching his neck up to look at the very top edge. His eyes went wide when he saw it.

"Oh shit."


	9. Big Rex

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 8 – Big Rex**

* * *

Kate glared down at the center console, gnawing anxiously on her lower lip as she held her finger over the intercom button just above the touch screen, praying that a cheery operator from the Jurassic Park Visitor Center would answer at any second. But there was nothing. She tried a couple of more times, all to no avail. The headlights were still on, running on the car batteries, but the power that had once been humming through the metal track along the middle of the road was gone. The power was out.

She flickered her eyes up to Castle. He was no help. He just sat in his seat, staring out driver's side window at the tumult of rain outside. He mumbled something that sounded like "Oh shit" just as she was about to make another attempt at raising an operator via the intercom system built into the Explorer's front dashboard. That was when she felt the tremor.

It happened again, and Kate frowned, raising her eyes to the rearview mirror, watching as her reflection vibrated as she felt another mild tremor.

"What's that?" Sally inquired from the backseat. "Did anyone else feel that?"

Kate glanced back at their riding companions. Sally was clutching Todd's hand tightly in hers. "Maybe it's the power trying to come back on," Kate offered with a shrug. In truth, Kate really didn't know what it was, but she could not deny the uneasy feeling that suddenly manifested in the pit of her stomach. Castle remained completely still, his mouth agape as he stared up through the windowed car roof. "Rick?"

She watched as he swallowed and lowered his eyes back to her. She almost gasped when she saw the trembling look of fear in his eyes.

"The power's out," he stated dumbly, his voice flat and emotionless.

"Uh-huh," she bobbed her head. "I think we all sort of guessed that."

Castle slowly raised a hand, extending his pointer finger, and gestured out the window. "Electric fence," he stammered out.

Kate frowned, flirting her eyes back and forth between her husband and the tall, electrified fence that curved along the side of the road where the two Explorers had come to a halt. And then it hit her.

The fence.

The _electric_ fence.

A low rumbling roar filled the air, and it was then that Kate realized that the tremors she had felt were not signs of the power trying to kick back on, but of a prehistoric large predator, brought back to life by unthinking scientists, approaching the fence line. She gazed out of the plexiglass roof, and through the thick rain, she could just about make out the outline of the King of the Dinosaurs.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex stood maybe twenty-five feet high, forty feet long from nose to tail, with an enormous, boxlike head that must have been five feet long itself. It was of a dark gray hue, with some browns mixed in along its underbelly. Bloody remains of its latest meal—a small goat, from the look of it, hang from its massive jaws. The tyrannosaur stood still for a moment, before tilting its head back and swallowing what had remained of the animal in one single big gulp.

And then, someone was shouting, overwhelmed and terrified. Whoever it was, Kate couldn't blame them. She was scared shitless by the sight of the fearsome tyrannosaur, now gazing down at the two parked vehicles with an unnerving interest. The shouting and crying got louder, and Castle pulled her eyes away from the dinosaur to exchange a confused look with Kate. She shrugged in reply, just as puzzled as he was, but then she caught a glimpse of a frantic man wearing a light brown jacket run past their car. He was soaking wet and screaming his lungs off, but he was running fast. Very fast. She followed him with her eyes, seeing him rush towards a sign, on the opposite side of the road, which displayed the universal symbol for a restroom. He soon disappeared down the path.

"Where the _hell_ is he going?" she asked out loud, turning back towards Castle.

He shrugged. "When you gotta go, you gotta go," he answered with a cheeky grin—albeit much more subdued than normal—and she reached out for his hand, knowing that humor was his coping mechanism. He squeezed her hand in return.

It wasn't until she pulled her eyes away from her husband's, and glanced out the rain smeared windshield, that she noticed that the passenger side door on the Explorer in front of them was wide open. If she strained her ears just enough over the drumming noise generated by the pouring rain, Kate could barely make out the startled cries of the children. She remembered back to when they had been waiting in the queue for the tour. The lead Explorer had been taken by a father and his two kids, a boy and girl—eleven and fourteen, respectively.

"Oh my god," she muttered under her breath, exchanging a look with Castle. From the look in his eyes, she knew he had hit upon the same thing. "He left them. What… what kind of father abandons his kids when they need him most."

"Bastard," Castle growled.

"Whoa… whoa… whoa!" Todd shouted in the backseat, quickly gaining their attention as he frantically pointed out his window. "It… the dino's touching the fence."

"What!?" Kate exclaimed, craning her neck to look out the driver's side window. Sure enough, the tyrannosaur was nudging his nose against the previously electrified wires of the fence. It pulled back, its massive jaws opening. The tyrannosaur roared, and then lunged at the fence, its razor sharp teeth snapping the wires.

"What's it doing?" Sally cried.

"I… I don't know," Castle stammered out, squeezing his hand tighter around Kate's. They looked at one another, his eyes large with fear. Kate quickly closed the distance, not knowing what else to do, and kissed him soundly.

"I love you, Rick," she said softly, her voice quivering in fear and uncertainty, not knowing what was to come.

"Kate… oh, Kate," Castle breathed out, running his trembling hand down the side of her face. "I love you, too. So… so very much." She kissed him again, fingers curling into his shirt.

Outside along the rain swept road, the fence creaked and groaned under the agitated tyrannosaur's assault. It wasn't going to hold up for much longer. The fence was beginning to buckle. The post bent, and it was only a matter of time before it could no longer support the weight. It swayed precariously for a moment, but miraculously held. The tyrannosaur let bellowed out a low growl, lowered its head and rammed into it again. This time, the post gave way under another impact from the massive bulk of the gigantic beast. The tall post collapsed with a crash, falling down across the road between the to cars, bouncing violently against the track, no sparks or flashes of electric energy burst forth. Kate needed no further proof that the power had gone out.

"My God!" Castle exclaimed, all his boyish excitement at seeing the legendary King of the Dinosaurs gone. "Look at the sheer size of it!"

Panic filled her as the barrier completely gave way. The tyrannosaur snarled loudly, arching up to snap its powerful jaws around the other post. The metal groaned and twisted. The goliath seemed to be pleased. It shook its head, and bellowed, asserting its dominance, as it strolled out onto the road. The ground shook with each step it took. The tyrannosaur stopped in the center of the road, and lowered its head, sniffing the toppled post lying across the track. Seeming satisfied that it had vanished its foe, the prehistoric beast roar.

"Jesus!" Todd cried from the backseat.

Kate's chest was heaving as her heart pounded with each breath. The tyrannosaur's roar was earsplitting and heart stopping. It was one of the most terrifying sounds she had ever heard, raw and primeval. The kind of fear that coursed through her veins was ancient, born from a primal dread from human kind's earliest days on this Earth.

Castle's hold on her hand tightened. "Stay still," he instructed.

"What?"

"Its vision is based on movement," he said.

"And how do you know that, Mr. Writer?" scoffed a disbelieving Todd, reaching his breaking point. Sally immediately tried to admonish him, but he was having none of it. "You a dino expert now? Last time I checked, you just write pulp fiction for a living. Just nothing but made up nonsense if you ask me."

"I read it in that book Dr. Grant wrote," Castle spoke calmly, ignoring Todd's belittling of his work. Sure, Richard Castle's novel may not be literary masterpieces, but that man did do his research. And he could tell one hell of a good story.

"Yeah, but wasn't that all just theoretical?" Kate asked in a quiet voice, her eyes still trained on the tyrannosaur. Thankfully it was still keen on gnawing the fallen fence post. "Castle, I don't think now is really the time for theories." She cringed. It had come out harsher than she'd intended.

He flashed her hurt eyes, and she gave him an apologetic look, squeezing his hand in contrition. But before she could open her mouth and say anything, they felt the Explorer jerk. Sally whimpered from the backseat. Kate gasped in startled alarm when she noticed that the tyrannosaur was now close. Very close. It was nudging the front of their Explorer with its snout. With each bump of its nose, the Explorer shook.

"Stay perfectly still," Castle murmured, keeping his voice quiet.

Kate held her breath, her heart pounding profoundly within her chest. It was beating so hard she was almost concerned it would jump right out of her chest. Every muscle in her body tensed as she held still. She had never been more grateful for the many hours of yoga she'd practiced. It helped with centering her core energy and sustaining fixed positions. After his return from the hospital, Kate had roped Castle into doing a few postures with her. He bitched and moaned about it, but he couldn't deny the results, especially now.

Risking a glance in his direction, Kate was pleased to discover that even with only doing the bare minimum with her on the yoga mat—he got distracted easily—Castle was fairing better than she'd expected. With his lips pursed and sealed, his chest rose and fell with each breath through his nose. He was rock, back ramrod straight as he held his position. Kate had to admit, she was proud… and a little impressed.

Just as it looked like the tyrannosaur was losing interest with them, a beam of light from a high-powered flashlight shot out from the back of the other Explorer.

"No, no, no," Castle hissed. "Turn it off. Turn it off."

But it was too late.

The tyrannosaur raised its head, growling low, as it turned to gaze menacingly across at the other car. Kate's heart thumped in her chest as she mimicked Castle's pleas for the kids to turn off the flashlight. The beam of light bounced around, turning this way and that. It was enough to entice the tyrannosaur. It roared, turned fully away from their vehicle, and stomped over to the first car.

"The kids are alone in there!" Kate exclaimed, gasping out a breath, turning to meet Castle's panicked eyes.

"We've got to do something," he agreed.

"What?" Todd frowned. "What the hell can we do?"

Kate furrowed her brow, unable to answer that. She glanced back at Castle, seeing his brow scrunched up in thought. Outside the tyrannosaur snarled. The deep low rumbling sound caused the hairs on the back of Kate's neck to stand on end. She flickered her eyes back up, noticing that the door to the other Explorer had been closed. The flashlight, however, was still on. It kept bouncing around. And like a cat with a laser, the tyrannosaur followed the beam of light around. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed what was happening as the flashlight shifted angles, pointing straight up through the plexiglass roof of the car.

She wanted to do something, but she was helpless, forced to watch as the tyrannosaur lowered its massive head through the glass door, roaring and snarling. The screams of the two children could be heard even through the heavy drumming of rain. Castle banged his hands against the steering wheel, no doubt feeling just as useless as she did. Sally was crying softly in the backseat, clutching Todd, her head buried in his chest.

They watched in horror as the tyrannosaur attacked the Explorer like it was prey. It gripped the frame with its powerful jaws and shook the car violently. All the remaining glass shattered, and the tyrannosaur pulled back, lowering his box-shaped head. Using its massive bulk, the tyrannosaur flipped the car over. Metal crunched and shattered under the beast's powerful assault. The tyrannosaur attacked the car's underside, gnawing and gnashing at the piles and gears. The children continued to scream, crying for help.

"Kate!"

She turned her gaze away from the horrifying sight. Castle's eyebrows were raised and his eyes were wide. Oh, she recognized that look. He'd thought of something. "What is it?"

Before answering her, Castle quickly undid his seatbelt and gripped the headrest, pulling himself up out of his seat. "It was something I read in Dr. Grant's book before we…," he glanced at Kate, quirking one eyebrow, leaving the rest unsaid. She nodded. He climbed through the gap between the front seats, squeezing past Todd and Sally into the rear compartment. He bent his back and ruffled around in the trunk before finding whatever it was he was looking for. Kate heard a plastic snap, like something was popping open, and then Castle was crawling back into the front seat with what looked like a flare.

"Oh no," she shook her head, already guessing his intent.

"Oh yes," Castle bobbed his head. "It's the only way. We have to save those kids."

Kate bit her lower lip, reluctant to let Castle take the risk. She glanced back out through the windshield. Dissatisfied with the underbelly of the Ford Explorer, the tyrannosaur was now chewing on one of the tires. Opening its massive jaws, the beast lunged at the tire. The metal clanged loudly as it bent under the pressure. Its razor sharp teeth sunk into the rubber. Retching its head back, the tyrannosaur ripped the tire off the car, sending the rubber tube flying into the air. Now satisfied, the King of the Dinosaurs placed a large three clawed foot on top of the overturned car, and reared its head back as it roared in triumph, the sound reverberating throughout the air, making the ground tremble.

"Fine," Kate snapped, snatching the flare from Castle.

His eyes went wide in shock. "What? No, Kate… don't," he began to object. But before he could finish, she was already popping open her door and climbing out into the rain.

Kate gasped as the rain pelted her from above. It was like being stabbed by tiny little daggers. Bringing a hand up, she flicked her already soaked hair out of her eyes and stepped forward, ignoring Castle's pleas for her to get back in the car. Heart in her throat, body trembling with complete and utter fear, Kate stepped away from the car, not entirely believing she was doing this.

She snapped the top cap off the flare, and ignited it. The smell of sulfur hit her nostrils and she released a breath. Kate planted her feet firmly in the ground, giving herself a silent prep-talk. She recalled all of her Academy training and all her long talks with Dr. Burke about fear, the power it could hold, and how to master it. She steeled her gaze, and glared out at the tyrannosaur gnawing at the chassis of the rolled over Explorer.

Kate took a deep breath, summoning up all her courage. She hoped Castle was right about that vision based on movement thing.

"Hey!" she shouted, waving the lighted flare in the air above her head. "Hey!"

It worked. The tyrannosaur tilted its head up and looked at her. It roared, and Kate shivered in fright from her head to her toes. She could feel the fear deep down in her bones. She gulped down a breath of moisture heavy air, and shouted at it again, gaining the prehistoric monster's full attention. Slowly, she began to wave the flare back and forth, and damn if the tyrannosaur's large black eyes didn't follow the red light back and forth.

_This might work_, she thought, trying to think positively.

After one final sweep, now positive that she had its complete attention, Kate used all her strength to hurl the sparkling red flare away from the road and back into the park enclosure. The tyrannosaur took the bait, letting out a bellowing roar and went pounding after it. Kate stood perfectly still, holding her breath so that even her chest didn't move with the intake of air. She watched the tyrannosaur approach the concrete barrier, preparing to step over it and back into its paddock… and away from them.

Kate could vaguely hear what sounded like an argument coming from the car behind her, but she ignored it, praying it wouldn't distract the tyrannosaur. She heard a smacking sound and a thud, and the car rocked slightly, though, fortunately, not enough to capture the dinosaur's attention.

And then someone was jumping out of the car. She clenched her jaw and hoped to God that it wasn't Castle trying to do something brave, because if it was, she'd kill him.

"Hey! You, ugly face! Over here!"

Kate turned with incredulous disbelief, grounding out in frustration when she saw Todd igniting another flare. What in the hell did the meathead think he was doing!?

"Todd!" she yelled over the din of rain, not bothering to hide her disapproval and anger at him. "Freeze! Freeze! Get rid of that flare!"

He shook his head, ignoring her sound advice.

"Get the kids!" he shouted back, slowly stepping backward, grinning like he thought he was the hero of the hour.

And before she could even respond to that, Todd was waving the flare above his head and gaining the tyrannosaur's attention. It seemed to like this game, roaring delightfully as it changed course, stomping towards the idiot. Todd held the flare up into the air as he ran for his life towards the foliage and the path that would supposedly lead to the restroom where the kid's father had rushed off to earlier. Kate stood there, shaking her head at the utter stupidity of the man. He was going to get himself killed. For his sake, the restrooms had better been built of solid reinforced concrete. The ground quaked as the tyrannosaur chased after him, and soon the dense jungle engulfed the pair.

After letting a second or two pass, Kate stalked back to the car, yanking the door open to find Castle nursing a rapidly developing black eye. Sally was silently sobbing, trembling all over. Ignoring Castle for the moment, she turned to attempt to comfort the stricken young woman. But before Kate could reach her, Sally was shoving her aside and darting off in the same direction her idiotic fiancé and the killing machine that was the Tyrannosaurus Rex had disappeared.

"What the hell happened?" Kate growled out, beyond frustrated, not that she blamed Castle. From the look of the bruise forming around his eye, he'd put up a good fight.

"Todd wanted to be the hero," he groaned, accepting Kate's proffered hand as she climbed out of the car and into the pouring rain. Kate grabbed his head in her hands and held him still as she examined the bruise. "Well?" he asked tentatively.

"Pretty butch, Castle," she smirked.

"Yeah?" he gave a small humorless laugh. They both sobered quickly when they heard the cry of the children. "Someone better go after her," Castle said, speaking of Sally.

"I'll go," Kate offered, narrowing her eyes, decision made. "You get those kids."

He nodded, and she moved to leave, but Castle grabbed her arm, stopping her. Her eyes flicked up to his, and they said more in that single gaze than could ever be said in hours of conversation. Castle pulled her back to him and claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss. "Be careful," he murmured when they parted.

"You too," she replied, taking a moment to caress the side of his face with her fingertips, gazing into his eyes with all the love she had for him and taking comfort in seeing it reflected back, before she pulled away and ran after Sally and her idiotic fiancé… and a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex.


	10. Chaos

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 9 – Chaos**

* * *

Castle stood there in the rain, watching as Kate ran after Sally, disappearing down the jungle path that supposedly would lead to the restrooms, Todd… and a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex. His chest heaved with each massive breath. He blinked slowly, trying to calm the worried palpitations of his heart. He couldn't help but worry. But his wife was a fierce and strong woman. She could take care of herself, and he felt confident that she would not take any unnecessary risks. Taking one last calming breath, Castle turned and darted across the road, skipping over the metal track, and sprinting towards the overturned Explorer.

The car had been brutally torn apart. The chassis was ripped and the wheels were bent. Several metal pieces stuck out at odd angles, the edges jagged and sharp. Castle blinked, wiping the rain out of his eyes. He skidded to a stop, dropping to his knees to glance down into the car's interior. One of the kids, the girl, was squirming in the mud that was slowly feeling the cabin.

"Hey, I'm here," he called out over the din of rain. The young teen looked up and relief flooded her dirty face. Castle scrambled closer to her, and bent his back, grabbed her hand. Mindful of the torn and jagged metal, and the shattered glass, Castle gently pulled the girl out from under the wreckage. When he got her out, her wide terrified eyes looked up at him pleadingly.

"He left us, he left us," she cried, tears running down her face.

Castle pulled to his chest, rubbing her back reassuringly, before pulling back and brushing her matted blonde hair away from her face. "That's not what I'm going to do," he assured her. "I gotta help your brother now. Okay?"

She nodded, seeming to just barely acknowledge his words. Castle inhaled deeply, and dropped back down to his knees, craning his neck so he could glance underneath the wreckage and locate the boy. He heard a grunt, and spotted him. He was covered in mud, nearly blending in with it.

"I'm stuck," the boy grunted.

"Okay, okay," Castle said, his eyes flirting around until he spotted the boy's foot wedged between the edge of what had been the Explorer's back window and the ground. "Just don't struggle. I'm going to help you." He furrowed his brow as his mind started to work on a solution.

But his thoughts were interrupted when the teenage girl started to scream. Castle scrambled back on all fours, moving as fast as he could. He reached her quickly, and placed a hand on her quivering shoulder, attempting to calm her. But then he heard and felt an impact tremor. Turning his head, Castle's eyes went wide when he saw the massive bulk of the tyrannosaur as it lumbered out of the jungle foliage. It shook its box-shaped head, and sniffed at the air. The teen cried again, and the tyrannosaur tilted its head in their direction.

Moving fast, Castle put a hand over the girl's mouth, stifling her screams, and held her close to his chest. "Don't move," he hissed out with as much conviction as he could, though truth was, he wasn't entire sure if it was fact or not. After all, he never finished reading Dr. Grant's book. "It can't see us if we don't move."

The tyrannosaur reared its head back and roared. It was a deafening sound. Castle tried with all his might to keep his muscles from trembling with fear as the prehistoric monster stomped towards them. He closed his eyes, and inhaled through his nose in an attempt to calm his nerves. Chasing after criminals with Kate was one thing, but coming face to face with one of the most famous predators in history was another. When he opened his eyes, he was met with the horrifying sight of the Tyrannosaurus Rex standing right in front of them.

It silently opened and closed its powerful jaws. Its nostrils flared as it sniffed the air. Castle kept his hand clamped over the teens mouth. Her entire body was quivering against his, and he was worried they might have to make a run for it. The tyrannosaur's snout swung in their direction, stopping just inches from his face. Castle could feel the heat of its breath as it inhaled and exhaled. He bit his tongue to keep himself from screaming in complete and utter terror.

The beast pulled back, seemingly satisfied with whatever it had smelled. Castle started to relax, thinking they'd been lucky. But then the tyrannosaur was lowering its head and snarling, nudging the back of the overturned Explorer with its snout. The car groaned as it spun, and Castle and the teen had no choice but to move. The mighty prehistoric king growled in delight, cocking its head and narrowing its eyes as it caught sight of them cowering behind the bent wheel.

From inside the wreckage, the boy started crying, shouting out for help. The tyrannosaur shifted, arching its neck to glance down at the Explorer. The boy screamed when the tyrannosaur roared. It stepped forward, bobbing its head up and down as if it were playing some game with the trapped boy. Castle's heart pounded in his chest as he frantically tried to think of something to do. He still had the teen girl clutched to his side, sobbing hysterically as the tyrannosaur continued to play with the boy.

There was nothing he could do. They were all trapped.

The tyrannosaur was growing tired with the game. It nudged the car, attempting to flip it back over. The boy's cries and screams only encouraged the beast further. With each nudge of the tyrannosaur's mighty snout, the beat-up overturned Explorer was pushed back, forcing Castle and the teenage girl to move with it. He arched his neck over his shoulder, and groaned. They were being herded towards the edge of a sheer cliff.

Metal scraped and screeched as the tyrannosaur pounded against the car, pushing it up against the concrete barrier to the paddock. Trapped between the concrete and the car, Castle was left with very little options. Gripping the teen's hips, he heaved her up onto the top of the barrier. Still terrified, but somewhat calmed, the girl reached down to help him climb up after her. She immediately latched onto him when he found his balance.

The tyrannosaur bellowed loudly, angry. It was definitely pissed off. It rammed against the car, sending it up over the edge of the concrete barrier. Castle and the girl stumbled back, very nearly falling over the edge into the jungle canopy below.

"Hang on," Castle shouted over the cacophony of noise, grabbing at the teen, and holding her close as the tyrannosaur pushed the car closer to the edge. All the while the boy continued to scream. Castle wished there was something he could do, but he was useless against the sheer awesome power of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

He stumbled back, his eyes dropping for a moment. It was like fate was watching over them, because in that moment, he saw the loosed cable wires that had once made up the electrified fence. There were moments during his shadowing of Beckett and assisting in homicide investigations when Castle would swear it felt like a light bulb would flash on above his head and he would be struck with an insanely brilliant theory or idea. This was one of those moments.

"Hold on, and don't let go," Castle instructed the girl, as he bent his knees and encouraged her to latch onto his back.

The teen hooked her legs around his middle as she scrambled up onto his back, squeezing like a vice, and looped her arms around his neck. He grabbed the cable wire, grimacing at the knowledge his soft writer's hands would probably get torn to shreds, and carefully eased over the edge of the barrier in a slow descent. The thunderous roars of the tyrannosaur hovered over them as it continued to assault the Explorer. Within minutes it would be tumbling over the edge.

Castle gritted his teeth and grunted as he braced himself against the sheer concrete wall. He hissed out a breath as he slowly worked at rappelling down towards the jungle floor. He made a mental note to thank Kate for talking him into tackling a rock-climbing wall during one free weekend. The girl desperately clung to his back, whimpering softly as she watched the car holding her brother inching closer and closer to certain doom. His palms hurt like hell, and he knew the cable was eating into his hands, but he wouldn't let go. He worked through the pain, slowly moving down and away from danger.

There was one more mighty roar from their oppressor, and then the headlights of the car were tipping over the edge of blinding them. Castle hissed out a breath and used all his strength to swing them out of the way as the Explorer plummeted by them.

"Charlie!" the girl sobbed, her arms tightening around his neck, nearly cutting off his air.

Swinging them back around, Castle glanced down just in time to see the car crash into the tops of the trees below. The teen's head dropped against his shoulder as she cried, her tears mixing with the heavy rain pounding against them. Somewhere above them, the Tyrannosaurus Rex was roaring in triumph. Castle could swear he felt a headache coming on as he gradually continued their slow descent.

XXX

The control room was filled with an uproar of noise. It was chaos. Alert klaxons blared, and the security monitors flashed. Warning and error messages kept popping up on computer screens. Almost every station seemed to suddenly be malfunctioning.

"What the hell is going on?" Hammond questioned, leaning heavily on his cane as he stalked down the ramp to join Arnold on the central platform.

His chief control officer looked stricken, staring disbelievingly at the large flat screen in the center of the room. It displayed the operations map of the island, and over half of it had blinking red lines around the outlined sections.

"Ray!?"

"Park systems are going down," he stammered out, plopping down into his seat and punching the keyboard. "WiFi is down. Hardline phones are inoperable. Security fences are going down, not all… but a whole lot of them are down." Arnold pushed his glasses up onto his forehead and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What!?" Hammond asked, growing frustrated. "Is it the storm? Is it affecting our system?"

"No," Arnold shook his head, putting his glasses back in place. "It's not that. This storm isn't as bad as the one we had two years ago. It's something else."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, I'd have to…," before he could finish his sentence, Arnold was already standing up and rushing down the stairs towards Dennis Nedry's station. Hammond shuffled after him, grunting with the effort to make it down the stairs to catch up. Arnold sat down at Nedry's station, and glanced around at the mess with disgust. "Look at this station. What a complete slob!" he murmured, before just shoving the trash off the desktop and onto the floor. He then turned his attention to one of Nedry's work terminals.

"Ray," huffed Hammond, coming to a halt behind him, leaning heavily on his cane. "What the hell is going on?"

"Fuck," Arnold cursed, running his hand over his thinning hair. "It looks like some virus has infected the network, and it's systematically working its way through the entire mainframe. I can't do anything to stop it. It's too sophisticated. Beyond my expertise."

"Well, where the hell is Dennis? Its his job to stop this sort of thing from happening," Hammond said, looking around. Several of the other control room staff just looked on dumbly. "Well!? Someone find him. Check the vending machines!"

Muldoon pushed off from his perch on the railing, stepping down to join them. He crossed his arms over his chest as he peered down at the computer code Arnold was scanning. "What about the raptor pen?" he asked.

Arnold furrowed his brow as he typed in a command that brought up a window that displayed all the dinosaur paddocks security systems. "No, no… it's still on. But… shit, half the park is out. The perimeter fence, and the individual paddock fences along the main park tour are out."  
"The Explorers?" Muldoon asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Stopped… Oh God… they stopped right in front of the tyrannosaur paddock."

Muldoon was moving before he could even finish his sentence. Hammond spun in place and watched him dart up the stairs, snatching up one of the radios and hooking it to his belt, before he jogged up the ramp and grabbed his SPAS-12 shotgun off the gun rack.

"What are you doing, Robert?" Hammond demanded.

"Someone's got to go out and check on those people," Muldoon jabbed a finger in the air, pointing at the large monitor displaying the operational map of the island. "They're sitting ducks for the tyrannosaurs."

Hammond shook his head. "It's just the female, remember? We transferred the male along with the juvenile to Site B last weekend."

"Even worse," Muldoon growled, checking the cartridges in his shotgun. "You've paid billions to make them, yet you don't even bother to learn anything about them, do you?"

"Well, I never—"

"The female is the alpha," Muldoon interrupted, gritting his teeth in frustration. "She's bigger, and stronger than the male. And she's just had her baby ripped away from her. She won't be happy."

"Look, she's just an animal," Hammond shrugged his shoulders, not sure what any of that had to do with anything.

"Ray?" Muldoon called down to Arnold, ignoring his boss.

Arnold gave a nod. "Go get them, Robert," he said, before turning his attention back to Nedry's computer terminal, trying to work out how to call up the system diagnostic program the computer programmer had been running. "Damn it, Nedry… where are you?"

XXX

_Voom! Voom!_

The rain was heavier now. But being in the hooded Jeep, Dennis Nedry was protected from it. He pressed his foot down hard on the accelerator. The window wipers were moving across the windshield at top speed, giving Nedry the little visibility he had. He glanced anxiously at his wristwatch, cursing. He was running late. If it weren't for this stupid storm, he would have already made it to the dock, where Dodgson's man was waiting.

Nedry pulled the wheel left as he made a sharp turn. The dirt road had taken on a lot of water and a puddle was hidden in the darkness. He gripped the wheel as the car hydroplaned. And, not thinking, Nedry rammed his foot down on the brakes.

He lost control of the car. It went wide, spinning in circles. Nedry was tossed around inside, and he wished he had buckled his seat belt. The spinning seemed to last forever. Suddenly, it stopped with a metallic screeching noise. Nedry received one final jerk forward before the car went completely still.

His head was lying on the rim of the steering wheel. As he sat up he felt a pain in his leg. He reached his hand down, and squeezed his thigh. Damn. He must have pulled a muscle or something. And the upper part of his forehead, above his right eye, was bleeding. Other than that he was okay, or was he? He glanced down at the internal compass on his digital wristwatch. He was facing west now, the opposite direction he wanted to go. Nedry squinted out the windshield. His eyes darted across the hood, noticing that it had been crunched in. He held his breath. The mechanic rumble of the engine could still be heard. The car was alive. That was a start. But what had crushed the hood in?

His question was answer very quickly. A big three-toed foot came down on the hood, this time completely smashing the interior. There was a burst of sparks and the engine died.

_Oh shit_.

He quickly kicked the door open and tumbled into the foliage.

The dense fronds and palms of the jungle surrounding the service road engulfed him immediately. Behind him, he could hear the roar of the tyrannosaur. But he did not look back, he kept moving forward, huffing and puffing with each step. The wet fronds slapped him as he moved as quickly as he could through the jungle, scratching at his face. One frond snapped back so hard it knocked his glasses off. Cursing, he dropped to his knees with a groan, blindly groping around in the wet ground.

Time was critical, and he really couldn't afford to waste it. Tentatively, he heaved himself up with a grunt, using a fallen tree trunk as leverage. "I can afford new glasses," he muttered, thinking of the huge payout that awaited him once he delivered the Barbasol shaving cream can with the dinosaur embryos hidden within. He checked his digital wristwatch again, checking the built-in compass. He knew he wasn't too far from the dock. If he hurried, he should make it in time.

He stopped after what he thought was an eternity of scrambling through the wet, muddy, foliage. He leaned on the side of a nearby tree trunk, heaving in deep gulps of air. At least the tyrannosaur hadn't given chase. Instead he could hear the car being smashed and ripped apart. So he probably wasn't as far from the road as he thought he was. He really wasn't built for this sort of thing. His feet hurt, and his legs ached. All he wanted to do was sit down and rest. But he couldn't.

Shifting his bulk, Nedry turned, taking a step forward, and gave a sudden cry of surprise. Where there should have been ground, there was only air. He fell on his ass and tumbled down the steep slope, hitting the trunks and branches of the small trees that made the slope their home as he feel. The tough thicket of underbrush scratched and ripped at his clothes, some cutting gashes on his face and arms. As he continued to slide down the muddy slope, he attempted to grab the occasional branch to stop his descent. All unsuccessful.

Eventually he reached the base of the slope, collapsing face first into the meandering stream at the bottom of the hill. His face was gushing with blood from the freshly cut wounds and his entire body ached from the fall. _This is so not fair_, he thought. Groaning in agony, hurting all over, Nedry used the last of his strength to roll over onto his back, resting his head in the soft muddy bank of the stream, allowing the soothing babble of the creek to lull him into unconsciousness.

XXX

Castle leaned against the side of the concrete wall, chest heaving as he recovered from the exhaustive rappel. He glanced down at Zoe. The teen had curled in on herself almost the moment they touched solid ground, sobbing. He did his best to soothe her, but he knew there was really nothing much he could do except offer up platitudes, which were useless at a time like this. He wiped at his brow, and pushed off the wall, and stumbled along the knotted and gnarled roots of a big tree. He glanced up, spying the crushed Explorer.

"Charlie!?" he yelled the boy's name.

Zoe sniffled and blinked her eyes, looking up. He turned back, and offered a hand. She gave him a weak smile of thanks as he helped her up. She stumbled alongside him as they approached the base of the tree.

"Charlie!" she cried out, silent tears running down her cheeks. "Charlie, can you here me?"

Nothing. There was nothing but the pitter-patter of rain against the tree canopy above their heads. Castle was just about ready to give up, when suddenly a small cry echoed out from the treetop.

"Zoe!"

"Charlie! Charlie!" she shouted up, her eyes flooding with relief and hope. She stumbled forward, but tripped on one of the roots.

Castle helped her up to her feet, running a comforting hand along her arm and shoulder. "I'll get him," he said, as he made to move forward, when suddenly Zoe stopped him. She was clutching his arm tightly, her grip a vise nails digging into his bicep.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded, trembling all over, eyes wide with terror.

Castle turned towards her with sympathetic eyes. After they'd reached the ground, and before she'd shut down, he had managed to get her name and some small bit of background out of her. The coward who had ran when the children needed him most was their stepfather. He only really brought them to Jurassic Park as a favor to their mother.

Castle pulled the girl into an embrace. "Shh," he soothed. "I'm right here, Zoe. I'm going to look after you. But I have to help your brother. I want you to stay here and wait for me, okay?"

"He left us… he left us," she stammered out.

He cupped her face in his hands, and looked her straight in the eye. "That's not what I'm going to do," he asserted, leaving no room for debate. Her bottom lip quivered, but she caught it with her teeth, biting down on it as she nodded in understanding. "Good." He planted a kiss on her forehead, and then settled her into the culvert sticking out of the concrete wall.

Castle then turned towards the big tree, with its impressive branches and hanging vines. He took a deep breath, once again thanking the fates that Kate had talked him into those rock-climbing lessons.

"Alright, Rick," he muttered to himself, placing his hands on his hips. "Time to get your hero on."


	11. Between A Truck And A Long Fall

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 10 – Between A Truck And A Long Fall**

* * *

Kate kept her breathing steady as her feet pounded against the hard ground. She had run cross-country in high school, and had always been a good runner. Her mom had attributed it was because of her long legs. Kate was inclined to agree.

She followed the dirt path through the densely packed foliage, trying to keep her mind clear and focused on the task at hand. The last couple of minutes had been truly terrifying. Kate was ashamed. She had been in so much awe of the sheer power of this place that she forgot to respect it. And now that power was out, and a prehistoric predator was on the loose. There was a part of her that just wanted to turn around and run back to Castle.

The tyrannosaur had doubled back not long ago, forcing Kate to conceal herself in the thick shrubs along the side of the pathway as she watched the fearsome beast lumber back in the direction she had come. And though she was fiercely worried for her husband—Castle was always first in her thoughts—Kate had to carry on. She couldn't just abandon Sally and Todd. Besides, even if he hadn't always followed her directions when he had been shadowing her, Castle was no fool. She had to trust that he could take care of himself. She respected him. She loved him. She believed in him.

Even so, Kate couldn't help but worry. A Tyrannosaurus Rex was a whole lot different than the usual assortment of villains she and Castle had dealt with over the years.

Rushing out into a clearing, Kate came to a stuttering halt as she stared in horrified disbelief at what once was the restroom. Bloody gore was everywhere. The thick palms that had been used to create a thatched roof were smeared in crimson blood, and other bodily viscera. She swallowed heavily as she took in the scene, pausing for a brief moment, as she often did when approaching a crime scene, to honor the victim.

"Kate!"

It was Sally calling her name. Kate snapped out of her ruminations, and maneuvered around the debris until she found the blonde woman huddled over her battered fiancé. Todd was lying flat on his back, groaning in pain, his right leg clearly broken.

"What do we do?" Sally asked frantically, tears leaking down her face.

Falling back onto her training, Kate instructed Sally to removed Todd's belt while she found a splintered plant they could use as a splint. Using the plank and the belt, Kate made a makeshift tourniquet. Todd let out an agonizing whimper when she tightened the belt around his thigh.

"That should do until we get you some proper medical treatment," Kate said, her focusing shifting back to the chaos around them. Her eyes landed on the bloody palms and what remained of a man. "What—?"

"That guy… the one with the kids," Sally interrupted before she could finish her question. "The T-Rex charged Todd, knocking him against that tree, and went… went smashing into the restroom. The building… it… it just crumbled. And there he was, just sitting there on a toilet, exposed and vulnerable." Sally shook her head, more tears flowing down her face, unable to say anymore.

Kate simply nodded, reaching out to put a reassuring hand on the other woman's shoulder, not requiring anything more to be said to know what had happened. Those poor kids.

Sniffling, Sally wiped at her nose. "What should we do?"

Kate opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, an ear-splitting roar echoed in the distance, followed by the terrible sound of metal scratching across concrete. If it wasn't for Sally and Todd, Kate would have immediately jumped up and ran back down the path to the main road. But she couldn't. These two needed looking after, especially Todd. Gritting her teeth, and trying her best to stifle the all-consuming concern that was flooding her system, wanting to seize control of her whole body, Kate bent down and wrapped her fingers around one of Todd's arms.

"I need you to help me," Kate hissed out to Sally. "We need to move him."

"Is that wise? I mean… his leg's broken."

Todd groaned, arching his neck up off the ground. "Do what she says, babe," he asserted through clenched teeth, fighting the pain. "We're sitting ducks here."

Sally gave a quick nod of her head, and rushed around to Todd's other side, shifting his arm over her shoulder, and helping Kate lift him off the ground. Todd leaned heavily on them, needing their support to stand. He breathed through his nose, and glared ahead.

"Remind me to ask for a refund when we get back."

XXX

Castle took a deep breath, steeling up his courage, as he started his climb up the tree. Needless to say, it had been a while since he had climbed a tree, but luckily for him, it was a good climbing tree. Its branches were thick and regularly spaced. The rain had finally started to taper off, making it easier for him to sure up his grip and find his footing. He was certainly fitter than he was a year ago, and he had Kate to thank for that. She was, after all, nearly ten years his junior, so he had to take care of himself if he wanted to keep up with her.

Checking his footing, Castle glanced up at the beaming headlights, trying to judge the distance. It was a long climb. But he was moving at a good pace. Keeping his breathing steady, and forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand—and not on what could be happening with Beckett—Castle slowly ascended up the side of the tree, staying as close to the trunk as possible. One branch was rotted and nearly snapped under his weight, but fortunately, he had already been moving on to the next foothold.

He twisted his torso, and reached up for the next branch, heaving himself further up the tree. The car had crashed in the upper most reaches of the tree, tangled in broken branches and vines. He planted his foot on a branch and heaved himself up, ignoring the twinge of pain in his right knee. He gritted his teeth. He'd never live that damn skiing accident down. It was his own damn fault, really. He had been trying to impress Beckett, when, in fact, there had been no need to do so. Though, he had enjoyed the benefits of having his gorgeous then-girlfriend now wife—it still felt so amazing to say that—take care of him, and sneakily throw him an awesome surprise birthday party in the process.

Yep. She was pretty extraordinary. And he was one lucky guy.

Finally, after what felt like an exhaustive climb, Castle reached the battered SUV's level, on the driver's side, five or six feet to one side of it. The car was in rough shape. The Tyrannosaurus Rex had crushed most of the top. And the front was completely smashed. The front wheels were driven solidly into the thick branch that thankfully still supported the bulk of the car's weight, holding it in place.

Shifting himself in the branches alongside the car, Castle craned his neck to peer inside. "Charlie? Charlie?" he called out, but got no response. Castle curled his fingers around the branch above him and gently inched closer to the suspended car. This time he was close enough to see inside.

Charlie was huddled one the floor of the passenger side, frightened, hugging his knees to his chest. Castle could hear his sniffling, and watched as Charlie wiped at his nose with the back of his hand. The car creaked as Castle shifted closer, placing a tentative hand on the busted door. Charlie looked up at him with a tear and blood-streaked face, a splattering of mud matting his hair.

"Who… who are you?" his voice was barely audible.

"Rick Castle," Castle introduced himself. "My wife and I were in the other car."

"Zoe?" Charlie asked, his voice still soft.

"She's fine," Castle assured the boy. "Zoe's fine. She's waiting for us back down on the ground."

"You… you're not going to leave us?" he asked, clearly traumatized. "Like Mike?"

"No," Castle shook his head, again cursing these kids' stepfather. "I won't. I'm here to help. And I'm not going to leave you."

Charlie nodded and went quiet again. "I… I threw up," he admitted mutely.

"That's okay," Castle reassured him, moving closer, gently opening the driver's side door. The whole car groaned at the shift, but thankfully remained still. Castle eased his head and torso through the opening, his eyes darting all over the interior, taking in the damage, and extended his hand towards the boy. "Listen, give me your hand."

Charlie remained seated, and didn't move, except to drop his eyes to the floor. The boy looked ashamed, and Castle sighed.

"I won't tell anybody you threw up," Castle told him, hoping that that would ease the boy's mind. "Just give me your hand, okay?" He reached out for him again.

Charlie finally moved, stretching out his arm, but they were still about a foot apart. Castle crawled further through the door. He groped around for a handhold. His fingers latch onto the steering wheel for support, and he pulled himself further into the car. As he moved, the wheel unexpectedly turned, almost causing him to slip. The car frame creaked and shifted, the snapping of a branch or two sounding out amongst the drip of leftover droplets of rain bouncing down through the tree's leaves.

Castle's heart nearly jumped up into his throat when the car shifted, and he now had to work at suppressing the panicky thumping in his chest and ears as he stretched out his hand for the young boy. Charlie reached out, accepting his proffered hand. Slowly, Castle guided Charlie crawl across the dashboard and steering wheel. He ducked out of the car, moving cautiously slow as he listened to the metal groan with the shift of weight.

Ducking out first, Castle established a firm grip on a branch above his head, shifting his weight to keep balance, as he directed Charlie through the battered doorframe. The boy stood up awkwardly on the inside of the door, and Castle held onto him, getting an arm securely around his waist as he pulled him off the wreckage and onto a thick branch besides him. He waited until Charlie had found his footing and was grabbing onto another branch before beginning the climb down.

Castle risked a glance down, and immediately had to look away. Okay, this was going to be a lot harder than he thought. Climbing up was one thing, but climbing back down was going to be something else entirely. He was not really afraid of heights, yet even he could not deny that if either one of them slipped, it would be a long way down.

Turning his focus back on Charlie, he tried to put all the worse case scenarios out of his mind. Sometimes it didn't help being a bestselling author. With some slow guidance, and a lot of patience, Castle was able to maneuver them down a couple of feet, before they had to stop.

"See…," Castle hedged, glancing at Charlie. "Just one branch at a time. It's not so bad, right?"

"Yes it is."

Castle placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's just like coming out of a tree house. Did your dad ever build you a tree house, Charlie?"

"No," the boy frowned.

"Me too," Castle sighed, momentarily thinking back to his own childhood and the lack of a father. He wondered how much different he would have been if Jackson Hunt or Anderson Cross—or whatever his real name was—had actually been a part of his life. Shaking his head, he decided a long time ago he was better off. He didn't need a father. He had Kate, Alexis, and his mother. That was all the family he needed. Well… and whatever additions he and Kate made to that list in the future.

"Mike was never really into doing that sort of stuff," Charlie continued, seemingly needing to talk to cover up his nervousness. Castle could relate to that. "He only spends time with Zoe and me because my mom tells him too."

Castle nodded absently. "Okay, well, the main thing about climbing is never… never look down. Never."

Of course, once he told him not to look down, Charlie did just that. "This is impossible," he protested, voice wavering with fear. "How am I going… I can't make it, Mr. Castle. This is… it's about fifty feet."

"Well, I'm going to help you with your footing," Castle said, squeezing the boy's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll go nice and slow, one branch at a time."

"What if the car falls?"

"It's not going to fall."

Just then, the car groaned, weighing down on the thick branch holding it up. The branch sagged in their direction, and the headlights flash down blindly on them. Castle squinted as he glared up at the car, his breath leaving his lungs in disbelief.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath as the branch creaked and groan under the pressure. He turned back to Charlie. "Go, Charlie. Go. Go!"

The boy's eyes widen in terror, but he did as he was told. They begin climbing down, as fast as they could, while the big branch that had been supporting the car creaked, soundly close to snapping in two, ready to give away at any second. Adrenaline pumped through Castle's veins, and he urged Charlie on. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as he frantically glanced around, looking for some space along the tree where they could move out of the path of the soon to be oncoming car. But there wasn't any. The other half of the tree was brittle and dry. It only seemed like this one side had sturdy branches that would support their weight.

Castle arched his neck up to glance at the car, just in time to witness the branch break. Disintegrated would be a better word. It literally shattered into thousands of splinters. And the car came straight at them, knocking out and snapping smaller limbs as it fell.

"Oh, shit," Castle cursed. "Faster! Faster! Go!"

And they did, but certainly not with the grace of experienced climbers. Oh no. Letting go of the branch they'd been holding on to, both Castle and Charlie fall, thudding into another branch a few feet further down the tree. The car crashed down, smacking violently into the branch they had just vacated. Mercifully it stopped there.

"Move, move, move!"

Finding their balance, Castle helped Charlie back to his feet, and then the two of them continued down the tree as fast as they could move. It was obvious from the start that neither were very good climbers. Truth be told, Castle was amazed they'd managed to outrun the car so far. They continue half climbing, half falling down the tree, small branches and twigs snapping into their faces, shoulders bumping against thicker branches, frantically just trying like hell to get out of the way.

Soaked from the rain, they move clumsily. At one point Castle almost slipped on a resin-covered branch, but Charlie managed to grab the sleeve of his shirt. It was just enough to steady him. Above them, the second branch splintered, cracking loudly. With a groan, the SUV smashed and crashed down through a network of thinner branches, headed right for them. It hit an open space and went into free fall.

"Not good," Castle huffed out, losing focus for a split second, and nearly stepping into thin air. He ducked his head down, and squeezed his fingers around another branch, closing his eyes as the car tumbled down towards them, preparing himself for the end.

But then, by some miracle, the car stopped again, this time slamming into a thick branch just above him with a resounding thud. Castle blinked his eyes in astonishment, utterly mystified by the fact he was still alive. Flirting his gaze up, he found himself eyeball to eyeball with the front grill.

However, the new branch started to creak almost immediately.

"Mr. Castle!" Charlie shouted urgently, snapping Castle out of his stupor.

He moved quickly, slapping his hands against the closest branches for support as he vaulted downward. His movements were inelegant, and if this had been an Olympic gymnastic competition, he would no doubt get a zero. But survival outweighed the beauty of form.

Castle checked on their progress, letting out a breath of hope at the sight of the jungle floor. They could make it. He encouraged Charlie on, leaping from one branch to the next, the car bashing its way through right behind them. Castle grabbed Charlie's arm as they maneuver around a tightly pack group of branches.

"We can make it if we jump?"

"What!? Are you crazy?" Charlie shrieked.

"Just jump!" he ordered, securing his hold on the boy, and together the two jump the remaining seven feet to the ground, hitting it hard. Castle tugged on Charlie's shirt to haul him up off the muddy ground. The car came crashing down, the front grill ramming down hard against the base of the tree. They only had a few seconds to move, and Castle did his best to get them away. The car started to tip, gravity and momentum pulling it forward.

"Duck!" Castle shouted, grabbing Charlie and pulling him to his chest, balling himself up on top of the boy to try and protect him. He closed his eyes, preparing for the worst.

And then the Explorer came crashing down on them.

Blinking his eyes open, Castle was startled to discover that they were inside the car. His brow furrowed in confusion, until he realized that they had been saved by the fact that the tyrannosaur had destroy the curved glass rooftop when it had attacked the car earlier.

"Well," Charlie panted, shifting beside him. "We're back in the car, again."

Castle chuckled, and quipped back, "At least we're out of the tree."

XXX

Robert Muldoon punched it, slamming his foot down hard on the accelerator. The jeep's engine growled as he pushed it to its limits. These gas-powered jeeps weren't really designed for this sort of thing, but Jurassic Park was currently in crisis mode. Before he left the Visitor Center, he had instructed Wallace and the other drivers to start evacuating all the guests staying in those luxury camper trailers set up along the edge of the Vista View Ridge. With the power out, those people were in extreme danger.

The rain had finally let up and the visibility was greatly improved. He turned the wheel sharply, and the jeep slid on the mud, but the tires kept their traction, the vehicle only skidding a couple of inches as he drove it around the curve in the service road. Shifting gears, Muldoon pulled out of the turn faster than he began it. He was almost there, just under a quarter of a mile and he would reach the tyrannosaur paddock.

He took the next bend in the service road, and the jeep swung out into the main road. Muldoon slammed the breaks as he reached his intended destination. He pulled the clutch back, and let the jeep run on idle, as he gripped the window shield's frame and tugged himself up into a standing position. His jaw dropped as he took in the horrific scene before him.

The paddock's fence was in ruins, sliced down the middle, cables hung loose like vines along the edges of the gaping hole, still swaying. One pillar had been completely bent and toppled over, having collapsed along the center of the road, destroying the electric track. And worse of all… besides the scattering of some glass and metal debris, one of the Explorers was missing.


	12. Closer Than They Appear

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 11 – Closer Than They Appear**

* * *

Kate hissed out a breath through her nose as Todd leaned heavily against her side. She tightened her grip on the younger man's arm, and trudged onward. Sally tried her best to help, but the woman was slight, so it fell mostly to Kate to support the majority of Todd's weight on her shoulder. Thankfully the rain had lessened to a slow drizzle. She tried not to think about anything other than her next step. Running after these two idiots had taken longer than she'd anticipated, and Kate was anxious to reunite with Castle. She did not like being separated from him. Ever since his disappearance over the summer, Kate struggled with letting him out of her sight. It had taken her a while to make do with quick text messages or phone calls. It had become exceedingly more difficult when he'd been kicked out of the precinct.

She grunted, and tensed her back, tugging Todd along with her as they ducked under a lower hanging branch. After their encounter with the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Kate had opted staying clear of the pathway, just in case. Pushing through a thick batch of fronds and ferns, they finally stumbled back onto the main road.

The low rumbling of an idle engine caught Kate's attention immediately. Maybe the power had finally come back on. Usually she was a pessimist, but her husband had been slowly converting her to an optimist. Though, at present, she was leaning more towards the pessimist side of the spectrum. Shifting her gaze up from the graveled road, Kate searched franticly for the Explorers. Her eyes went wide in shock, and she nearly dropped Todd. The overturned SUV was missing. Her heart leapt up into her throat as she saw a sprinkling of metallic debris, along with twin rows of deep grooves dug into the gravel road, suggesting the car had been pushed up and over the paddock's concrete barrier.

And what made matters worse was the simple fact that Castle and the children were nowhere to be seen.

"Hey!" shouted a British accented voice from somewhere to their left, from the same direction that the idling engine could be heard.

Kate blinked, and spun her gaze to find a man dressed in a khaki park uniform, standing besides a gas-powered jeep. A yellow windbreaker hung off his shoulders, and in his hands he held an impressive shotgun. He wasted no time in rushing over to them.

"You guys alright!?" he asked, eyes wide, brow furrowed in concern. "What the bloody hell happened here!?" he questioned, swooping in to help Kate in supporting Todd's weight. The meathead groaned with the change, his head lolling forward. Sally fussed over him, her face contorting with worry.

"The Rex got out of its cage," Kate hissed out through gritted teeth. "What the hell do you think happened!?" She nearly snarled, shoving Todd into the park employee's arms, freeing herself of his dead weight. The man grunted, but held firm, shifting his hold on the shotgun and managing to catch Todd before he could fall face first to the wet ground. Not waiting for a reply, Kate pumped her legs and darted out across the road, skipping over the metal track, and shouting Castle's name as she ran.

"Castle! Castle! Rick! Oh… oh god, Rick!" her voice was close to a sob, but she didn't care. They'd been through too much for her to lose him now. It was easier to protect him when they were together. She shouldn't have left him alone. Her breath started to come out in panicked gasps, and she felt like curling in on herself as dark thoughts started to consume her. Tears streamed down her face as she surveyed the shards of shattered glass and jagged chunks of metal strewn across the road. Her heart felt heavy inside her chest as she slowly came to terms with what she was seeing.

"Miss!" the park ranger shouted, trying to gain her attention.

"No. No. No," Kate shook her head, ignoring him, refusing to believe what she was thinking.

She inched closer to the paddock's concrete barrier, almost afraid to look. Stretching up on her toes, Kate craned her neck and peered over the edge, hopelessly staring down into the darkness below. She could just about make out the swaying treetops in the dim moonlight that could manage to break through the clouds above. Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the bottom of the small ravine, her heart thumping with dread. Her mouth dropped open and she let out a strangled cry when she spotted it. Crushed and beaten, lying toppled over against the trunk of a large tree was the other car.

Spinning around, Kate spotted the park employee helping Todd, with Sally's assistance, into the backseat of the jeep. "The other car!" she shouted, a small shimmer of hope swelling inside her chest, even if her voice trembled with terror, fearful of what might be. "I found the other car!"

XXX

With a painful groan Dennis Nedry heaved himself up into a sitting position. His entire body ached. Rolling around, he gritted his teeth, planting his hands in the mud, and pushed his considerable bulk up. He stumbled to his feet, dizzy and disorientated, gasping for air. Blinking his eyes, he staggered around, teetering back and forth on his feet, before he was finally able to look at his slightly out-of-focus surroundings. He cursed. Damn glasses.

"You can afford new glasses," he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

He was at the bottom of a steep slope. Blinking, Nedry glared up at the tumble of trees and ferns that marked his path down the severe drop. In truth, he could only vaguely remember falling down. It was all such a blur. Though Nedry could still clearly remember the tyrannosaur. It had completely pulverized his jeep, causing him to swerve off the road and ram into a tree. His head was pounding, and he exhaled huffily, remembering what had happened next. During the struggle to get out of the car he had head his head. At least that's what he thought had happened. After seeing the big three-toed foot come down on the car's hood and stumbling wildly into the forest and then the slope, everything seemed to blur into one massive collage of chaos.

That's what it was.

Chaos. Fucking chaos.

He coughed, covering his mouth with his hand. Looking down at himself, and feeling around, he was happy to find that he wasn't that badly hurt. Though he was probably bruised from the fall. He was covered in mud and his clothing was soaked. But other than that, he seemed to be fine.

Nedry quickly glanced at his digital wristwatch. "I still have time," he mumbled to himself, patting his jacket pocket, and sighing with relief as he felt the solid outline of the shaving cream can. Nedry glanced around, trying to figure out where he was. He really couldn't tell. All he could see were dark tree trunks and underbrush. Ferns, palms, and fronds covered the muddy ground. Up above, the treetops created a canopy that blocked out any light that the moon may had provided, that was if the moon was even visible above the gray storm clouds. Nedry was glad that it had stopped raining, only a light drizzle remaining. It was perhaps the only thing that was positive at the moment.

He scrambled forward, trying to make his way back up the slope, but the ground was slippery under his feet. He grabbed the closest fern, but it gave way under his considerable weight, and the roots popped out of the ground. Nedry tumbled backward on his back, sliding back down the slope. He landed in roughly the same spot he had woken up in. After struggling to stand back up, he threw the fern away in disgust. He looked around. If he could only make it back to the road, he would be able to find his way to the docks. With the lessening of the storm, he'd wager good money that the ships were still moored.

Nedry pushed the fronds out of his way, as he stumbled forward, trudging through the small creek to reach the bank on the other side, trying to find an easier way back to the service road. After a minute or two of meandering along the creek bed, Nedry stopped and squinted into the darkness. He could have sworn he'd seen something. He blinked. No, it was nothing. It must have been the wind or a trick of the light. But no wind was blowing. He didn't feel a breeze. And there was very little light to play tricks on him. Nedry felt a slight chill, not from the air or wind, but from fear. He hesitated before continuing.

He reached a small slope, pleased to see that it was not as steep as the other one. It was muddy and slippery, but Nedry was able to shimmy up it, like a pig on its belly. He reached the top of the slope with no trouble and crawled towards a fallen tree trunk covered in a rich layering of lichen and moss. Gripping the log, he hauled himself up, breathing heavily. His heart pounded fiercely, and he contemplated taking a break, but upon further review, Nedry decided it was best to keep trudging on. He didn't want to miss the boat.

As he was shuffling along, Nedry's foot caught on a gnarled root, and he fell forward with a sharp cry. He hit the ground hard and rolled over on his back. He laid there for a moment, startled, huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath, when he heard a sudden hooting sound. Almost like an owl. He froze. It came again, much closer this time, almost like it was an answer to the previous hoot. He turned his head and saw them.

Dinosaurs!

The ten-foot tall bodies were covered in a kind of dark green, with black stripes, like a tiger. Underneath, the bellies were a bright green, like a lizard. Twin red curving crests ran along the top of the head from the eyes to the nose, making a V-shape above the squinting eyes. Nedry immediately recognized them from their pictures from the various promotional materials about Jurassic Park.

Dilophosaurus. _Spitters_.

One was a couple of feet away, while another one stood beside what appeared to be a mound of mud. Nedry squinted at the mound. It almost looked like the nest of a crocodile. A nest? How was that possible? The dinosaurs only bred on Site B. Isla Nublar was the showcase. Breeding was strictly controlled. But he couldn't deny what he was seeing with his own eyes. He must have stumbled into the nest of the dilophosaurs. Obviously, this was not a very good thing. Dilophosaurs were predators, and from the summaries Nedry had read about them, these dinosaurs could apparently spit poison, blinding their prey. His heart pounded with terror.

"Nice dinosaurs… nice dinosaurs," he whimpered under his breath, praying that they ignored him.

Nedry watched as the dilophosaurs cocked their heads and hooted back and forth. Eventually the one closest to him turned and walked back to join the other one by the nest. Nedry decided that it was time for him to leave. He slowly rolled onto his fleshy belly, and began to slowly crawl in the opposite direction as the dilophosaurs. Behind him, he could hear them hooting and chirping. Damn things were having some sort of conversation.

When the hooting stopped, Nedry froze, his breath coming out in sharp, harsh pants. He hesitated before looking over his shoulder. It was a bad idea. Rearing back as it snarled, a rattling circular sail snapped up around the dilophosaur's twined crested head. The noise resembled the warning of a rattlesnake. Nedry stared dumbly at the creature, fear immobilizing him. There was a loud splattering sound and Nedry felt a sticky wet substance on his cheek. He brought his hand came up and wiped off the oily, sticky substance. It didn't take him long to realize that the substance was the saliva of the dilophosaur because he started to feel a tingling, burning sensation on his cheek and hand.

"No, no, no," he mumbled to himself, grunting and groaning as he heaved himself up to his feet, irrationally believing he could make a run for it. A foolish idea, considering he was severely overweight.

A loud hooting came from his right. Stupidly, he turned to look. The dilophosaur snarled and hissed at him. It reared its head back. And then—

_Burning! Burning!_

Nedry screamed. It felt like someone had just tossed acid into his face. He closed his eyelids, but it didn't stop. His hands came up to frantically wipe at the poisonous saliva on his face. But that didn't help, either. The burning never stopped. He opened his eyes, but could only see flashing white dots. He was blind! He couldn't see. Nedry stumbled forward, dropping down to his knees, his hands spreading out before him to feel the ground. Soon he was on all fours, moving as fast as he could.

As he groped blindly about, he murmured prayers to every religious deity or icon he could think of. But not one of them answered his pleas. He fumbled to the right, and stopped, letting out a whimpering cry as he felt something cold and scaly. "Oh, God… no… please… no!" He quickly recoiled his hand, knowing what it was.

Soon he felt the warm breath of the dinosaur against his face. It was foul, like rotting flesh. He moved backward and bumped into something. He knew what that was as well, because it too was scaly. Both dilophosaurs were standing beside him, boxing him in. He waved his hands around wildly in the air and shouted; vainly hoping it would startle the beasts off. The dilophosaurs hooted in surprise and he heard one step backwards, a twig snapping under its clawed foot. His hearing was surprisingly better than he thought. Nedry listened to the soft chirping noises in the distance. One of the dilophosaurs snorted and he heard it run back to the nest. He could slightly make out what sounded like sickly wet cracking noises.

Were the eggs hatching?

Perhaps the beasts would ignore him then, in favor of tending to their young. However, the breath of one of the dilophosaurs could still be felt along the side of his face. He screamed, crazed, and waved his hands around again, but it was no use. It wasn't afraid of him. In fact, it seemed amused, if anything. It poked at him with its snout, pushing him over onto his back, playing with its food. He cried out as he fell. He felt the ground tremor as the dinosaur stepped around him, its prey. He couldn't move. His breath came in ragged heaves. He was trembling all over in fear. Soon he felt the breath of the dilophosaur on his neck. He heard the nostrils snort, and then he felt soft prickling things touch his fleshy neck. Numbed by the venom, Nedry was only dimly aware that he was being lifted into the air by the jaws of the dinosaur.

_Damn Hammond_, Nedry thought. _And damn Dodgson._ He cursed the day he'd meet the billionaire enterpriser and the corporate espionage agent.

He felt the jaws tighten around his neck, the teeth of the dilophosaur piercing his flesh. He opened his mouth to scream. And then, with a swift jerk of its powerful jaws and a loud crackling snap, everything went black.

XXX

The beam of light shot out across the dark night. Kate squinted, carefully stepping over the gnarled roots and scattering of rocks. She was trying her best not to get her hopes up, but it was hard. The beam from Muldoon's flashlight shone off to her right. Hers stayed straight, shaking in her trembling hands. The game warden hustled past her, leading the way. Kate followed, chewing her bottom lip in dread, terrified at what she might find. If she lost him, she honestly didn't know if she'd survive.

"Mr. Castle!" Muldoon called out.

"Rick!" Kate all but sobbed, making her way over to the wrecked Explorer.

The game warden reached the toppled car first. He crouched down, and pointed his flashlight inside, eyes narrowing. Kate waited with baited breath, heart pounding with each passing second.

"Do you see anything?" she demanded, desperate.

Muldoon mulled silently, his gaze piercing as he glared into the interior, sweeping his flashlight back and forth in a slow and meticulous search. "I don't know."

Frustrated with his non-answers, Kate nervously stumbled around to other side of the wreckage. She placed a hand on the bent doorframe as she leaned down to look inside the crushed car.

"Rick!?" her voice choked on his name, tears silently leaking down her face.

"They're not here," Muldoon stated softly, trying to ease the blow.

Kate shook her head, ignoring him, not wanting to hear that. Her and Castle had survived too many close calls for this to be it. No way did Richard Castle die out here in the middle of some damn amusement park.

"Detective Beckett, I've seen a lot of animal attacks," Muldoon continued in an annoyingly calm and reasoned voice. "People just disappear. No blood. No trace. Sometimes, as frustrating as it can be, that's the way it happens."

"I know how to look at a crime scene!" she snapped back.

Muldoon sighed, pulling back from the wreckage, and made his way around to join her on the other side of the fallen car, cautiously approaching her like she was some easily startled animal. "This isn't like a crime scene," he asserted, placing a hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her back from the abyss. "New York City is a completely different jungle than this one."

Kate swallowed, and reluctantly bobbed her head in understanding. "I know," she said, blinking back tears. "It's just that… Rick and I finally got married after all this… struggle. We were supposed to be happy now. We… we were supposed to be together." She sniffled, and turned away, embarrassed, wiping at her nose with the back of her hand. Kate blinked her eyes and stared down at the ground, only vaguely aware of her surroundings.

Muldoon opened his mouth to say something, whether to reassure her or reiterate the harsh realities, she'd never know, because at that exact moment, the awful roar of a Tyrannosaurus Rex boomed in the distance.

"We should get going," Muldoon said, reaching for her arm.

Kate gave a nod of agreement, when she stopped. "Wait! Look!" she exclaimed, her heart leaping up in her chest as she stared down at the ground. Moving her flashlight, she shone the light along the mud. Footprints. One was small, like a child. And the other was larger, adult male. Castle. Her eyes followed the tracks as they led off into the foliage. "He's alive."

XXX

Rick Castle stopped in his tracks, a look of confusion washing over his face. Trailing behind him, the kids almost stumbled, unprepared for his sudden halt. Castle held up his hand to stop them, arching his neck to glanced back at them, realizing the gesture was unnecessary. Charlie wiped at the snot on his nose with the back of his hand, and Zoe rolled her eyes in disgust at his behavior before turning her attention to Castle.

"What is it, Mr. Castle?"

"Once again, call me, Rick," Castle said, frowning down at the wrinkled up park map he had discovered was tucked into his back pocket. He recalled picking it up when he and Kate been waiting in line at the Visitor Center. Now he couldn't stop thinking how fortuitous that impulse decision had been. "And this is a map."

Charlie stretched up on his toes to look at the map in Castle's hands. "You sure that can help?"

True, the map was rather crude, drawn in a cartoon-like fashion for the consumption of the countless tourist that came to the park, but it would have to do. Castle smoothed his hand along the thick crease down the center, a result from when he had folded the glossy pamphlet up to shove in his back pocket. The locations were clearly marked, and Castle had a vague idea of where they were and what direction they should head, but still… it did involve a lot of guesswork.

"Well?" Zoe question, raising an eyebrow at him, a look that oddly reminded him of Beckett. The teen had calmed down since being reunited with her little brother, and he was starting to get a glimpse of her independent personality.

Studying the map more closely, Castle cocked his head. Okay… so maybe he was reading it wrong, or they were just lost. "I think this little symbol indicates a maintenance shed or something like that. It looks to be four or eight miles in—" he broke off to scan the surrounding area, and then pointed off to his left, "that direction." He carefully folded the map back up and returned it to his back pocket. "What do you say, kids? You ready for a hike?"

Zoe's brow furrowed, and she glanced worriedly at the surrounding foliage, the jungle noises seeming louder than previously. Her bravado from before vanished, and she curled in on herself, her arms quivering with fear. "Do… do you think we'll run into any more dinosaurs?"

Her little brother let out a snarky laugh. "Duh!" he proclaimed with an amused expression. "What'd you expect, Zoe? This _is_ a dinosaur park."

"Shut your snotty face!" Zoe snapped, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Charlie glared up at her as he rubbed his injured arm. "That hurt."

"I didn't even want to come to this stupid park," Zoe bemoaned. "It was your dumb idea."

"I'm not dumb!" Charlie shouted back.

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

Castle watched them with an amused expression for a minute before stepping in. "Now kids," he interjected, giving them a stern look. God, he had it easy with Alexis. She was no problem at all, practically raised herself. Though he had a strong notion that they're bickering was a coping mechanism, a way for them to release some of the stress they all have been under. "We'll definitely be seeing some dinosaurs if you keep making all that noise… and they won't be the friendly sort."

As if to prove his point, the roar of the fearsome tyrannosaur sounded from a distance. It wasn't close—thankfully, but the bellow was loud enough to reach their ears.

"There are friendly dinosaurs?" Zoe scoffed lightly, disbelieving.

"Yeah, you know, the herbivores," Castle said.

"That what?" Zoe knitted her eyebrows in confusion.

"The veggie-saurs, Zoe," Charlie inputted. "Veggie-saurs! That means they only eat vegetables, but I think for you, they'd make an exception."

"_Charlie_," Castle scolded, narrowing his eyes in what he hoped was a decent imitation of Beckett's intimidating glare.

"Oh," Zoe nodded, blessedly ignoring her little brother's goading. "Good. I hate the other kind." She shuddered at the thought, her eyes glazing over with the terrifying memories of their ordeal with the T-Rex.

Castle gave a small shrug, shifting his footing on the rough ground. "Well, the other kind just do what they do." She blinked her eyes open and gazed up at him with a look of surprising trust. He noticed Charlie was staring up at him with the same look on his face. He pursed his lips, thinking, _heavy lies the crown_. To tell the truth, he was finding it difficult to hold on to the mask of confidence he was projecting for the kids. Inside he was just as frightened and freaked out as they were. Castle hoped he lived up to their trust in him. "Alright," he said, holding out his hand, and smiling when Zoe accepted it. "Let's get moving."

XXX

Muldoon glanced over at the distraught woman as they crested the rise on their way back to the jeep. He was unsure how to comfort her, or if that was even possible considering the circumstances. From what he could see, Kate Beckett was a fierce and strong woman, not used to showing any vulnerability. She seemed to be the type that didn't often display such emotions in front of others. When he had first joined her by the paddock barrier, she'd made a point of introducing herself as a NYPD Detective. So he suspected that like most cops, she generally kept her feelings close to the vest. But this situation was different. The man missing was her husband.

"Here it is," Beckett said, gesturing towards the crumbling rubble that had once been the bathroom bunker.

Muldoon swung his flashlight out across the debris strewn across the clearing. He spotted blood and viscera, and sighed, rubbing his forehead. Great… they had their first casualty. He squatted down next to what was left of the person, lifting the palm to see if he could see a face in what remained. He grimaced. "Who was it?"

She shrugged. "I never knew his name," she said. "But he was the father of the two kids in the car in front of us."

He nodded. "We can pull up his identity once we get back to the Visitor Center," Muldoon said, scrubbing a hand down his face and sighing. He hoped to God that Hammond had followed his instructions and started an emergency evacuation of the park guests.

Muldoon stood up, and shone his flashlight towards an imprint within the mud—a large three-toed footprint. It was filled with water from the rain, and he stared at it, his experience as a hunter allowing him to notice things that others might miss. The water in the puddle vibrated rhythmically, slowly, at first, but it quickened, the rings in the water getting bigger with each passing second.

Beside him, Beckett frowned, eyes glued on the same water-filled footprint. "Do you hear that?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side, as if to hear better.

Muldoon inclined his head. "It's an impact tremor," he said, his calm voice belying the concern in his eyes.

"Why do I get the feeling that I should be alarmed by that?" Beckett questioned.

"Because your smart," he answered with a dry smirk. "Run."

Muldoon took off at a dead sprint, heading back towards the main road. He risked a glance to his right, pleasantly surprised to find the woman keeping pace with him. His suspicions were soon confirmed when from behind them, they heard the low, rumbling growl of the approaching tyrannosaur. He could hear the distinct boom of each impact as the tyrannosaur stomped against the ground. Expanding his lungs to take in more oxygen, Muldoon pounded his feet against the wet dirt, working his legs harder to move faster. Kate Beckett pushed ahead of him, her long legs giving her a decided advantage.

They burst out of the foliage and into the open road seconds later, gasping and heaving. Propped up in the backseat of the jeep, Todd frantically waved at them, beckoning them over. Sitting next him, Sally bounced anxiously.

"Hurry," the young woman cried out.

"Gotta move," Todd shouted. "Gotta get out of here. Let's go—we gotta go! Like right now. Hurry. Let's get the fuck out of here! Like now!"

The booming footsteps were much louder, and were coming at quicker intervals. Muldoon risked a glance over his shoulder, seeing the tops of trees a couple yards away begin to quake. Gritting his teeth, he turned back around and put a hand on Beckett's arm, directing her towards the passenger side of the jeep. She nodded, and quickened her pace, darting around the stationary jeep, and climbing into the passenger seat. Muldoon tossed his flashlight into the rear compartment, and jumped up into the driver's seat, sliding down into place.

"Move now!" Todd yelled, his terrified voice filling the night air, alerting all manner of beasties to their presence. "Let's go, let's go, right now, right now!"

Muldoon turned the ignition and shifted gears. He arched his neck and glanced over his shoulder at the shouting fool, intent on telling the man to shut the bloody hell up. But just as he opened his mouth, Muldoon saw the tyrannosaur smash out of the jungle, head lowered like a massive battering ram, toppling trees as it charged out into the main road. The tyrannosaur opened her massive maw, and roared. The entire world seemed to vibrate with fear.

"GO!"

He didn't need to be told twice. Muldoon quickly shifted the jeep into gear and dropped the clutch, slamming his foot down against the accelerator. The wheels squealed, kicking up mud, before finding traction. Within seconds the jeep was tearing out of there. The earsplitting roar of the tyrannosaur, hot on their trail, drowned out the roar of the engine. With its powerful legs, the beast charged after them, fierce and terrible.

However, the jeep was slow to work through the first few gears. Allowing the tyrannosaur to close the distance. Muldoon clenched his teeth and cursed. He gripped the wheel, and turned them down the access road along side the main road, hoping to lose their pursuer. But it didn't. The tyrannosaur plowed through the tunnel of trees, undeterred.

In the passenger seat, Beckett was clutching the dashboard and glaring back at the monster as it chased them down the road. Muldoon was amazed at how formidable she looked. There was no fear in her eyes. She just stared the beast down. The tyrannosaur got closer, and in the backseat, Sally screamed loudly. Muldoon tried to swerve the jeep to avoid a collision with a fallen tree, nearly sending them into a ravine. He punched his foot down harder, pedal to the metal and all that.

The tyrannosaur roared, leaning in to snap its massive jaws at them. Muldoon's gaze flicked down to the side view mirror, which told him, in small red lettering along the bottom, that "Object Are Closer Than They Appear." _No shit_, he thought. The tyrannosaur was still gaining on them, its powerful stride nearly matching that of the jeep, thanks—in large part—to the slow acceleration of the jeep through the gears. Muldoon, along with the rest, all stared back at the Rex in terror.

"Faster, faster!" Beckett encouraged beside him, pounding her fist against the dashboard.

"Must go faster, it's getting closer—must go faster!" Todd instructed, a backseat driver.

The tyrannosaur swooped its head down for another pass, snapping its powerful jaws just above their heads. Beckett let out a string of curses, hunkering down in her seat, as Todd sprawled his body out over Sally, trying to shield her.

"Fuck, dude… go, go, go!" Todd shouted. "Open it up! Go. Man… go!"

Muldoon wanted to reprimand the man for backseat driving, but he held his tongue, and turned back to focus on driving. But when his eyes landed back to the access road, he saw a half-fallen tree branch right in front of them, blocking the path of the road.

"DOWN!" he yelled.

Everyone immediately ducked on his command. Beckett curled down into her seat, head pressed low over her lap, similar to the emergency landing position on an airplane. The thick branch smacked right into the windshield, sending shards of glass shattering up into the air, stripping it from the jeep. The back piping above the backseats were wrenched away, flying off noisily in a metallic screeching crack.

The tyrannosaur ram right through the branch, unhindered, smashing it entirely. The jeep bounced violently, the wheels dangerous close to losing traction. Todd was knocked about, his body shoved forward into the front compartment of the jeep. Afterwards, the fool kept leaning back, away from the danger of the Rex, and his elbow struck the gear shaft, knocking it back into neutral. The engine protested, spinning uselessly, and the beast closed in again. Muldoon growled in frustration, trying to keep control of the vehicle, while also outrunning a very pissed off Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"Bloody move!" Muldoon shouted at Todd, but the meathead couldn't hear him over the roar of both the engine and the tyrannosaur.

Thankfully, Beckett noticed what was happening. She exchanged a quick look with him, before turning to Todd, placing a hand on his shoulder, and pushing him back off the gear shift. Nostrils flaring as adrenaline pounded through his veins, Muldoon gave Beckett a grateful nod, before gripping the stick and ramming it back into gear. The jeep picked up speed, starting to pull ahead. Muldoon felt the beginnings of a smile tug at his lips, but he kept it at bay, not wanting to tempt fate.

Losing ground, the T-Rex roared in outrage, and made one final lunge for the jeep, smacking its massive bulk of a head roughly against the left rear quarter panel. The jeep bounced into the air, but Muldoon maintained his grip and control on the wheel, steering them safely through the assault. He punched his foot down on the accelerator, and jeep roared away. The tyrannosaur let out a roar of defeat, and gave up, slowing its stride, fading away into the distance.

Muldoon finally let out a breath, and looked back over his shoulder to check on Todd and Sally. The young blonde was crying hysterically, her face buried in the man's chest. Todd looked out of breath, ready to just pass out from sheer terror. Muldoon whistled in relief and glanced at Beckett in the passenger seat. She was leaning back in her seat, one hand on her heaving chest as she caught her breath. Her eyes flicked up to meet his and she smirked ruefully.

"Think they'll add that to the tour?"


	13. Maintenance Shed 47

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 12 – Maintenance Shed 47**

* * *

John Hammond was livid. He stood in the center of the control room as chaos erupted around him. The staff was rushing about, desperately attempting to organize an evacuation of the resort. This was not supposed to have happened. There had only been one incident—years ago—that had called the park's safety into question. The InGen board of directors, along with the other investors, had demanded an inspection by experts.

Those experts had been: Dr. Alan Grant, a paleontologist, Dr. Ellie Sattler, a paleobotanist, and Dr. Ian Malcolm, a mathematician who specialized in Chaos Theory. The blood sucking lawyer, Donald Gennaro, had also accompanied them, along with Hammond's grandchildren, Lex and Tim, on the original park tour. Everything had gone off flawlessly. Grant and Sattler were impressed, Gennaro had seen dollar signs, the kids had loved it, and Malcolm had been forced to admit that the park was not as bad as he had feared. It had been a good inspection—No! It had been a _great_ inspection.

And now everything was falling apart.

He cursed under his breath, and sidestepped around some frantic staff members working at repairing the communications system. They needed to recall the ferries and helicopters. One had even suggested calling in the Marines. Hammond didn't think it had come to that yet. They could still regain control. He had to believe that. Stepping back down into the lower section of the control room, Hammond hobbled over to Arnold. The man had now lit his cigarette, needing the nicotine to calm his rattled nerves. Hammond felt for the man, knowing that he had been trying to kick the habit.

"Ray?"

"Just a sec, sir," Arnold said, hunching over the computer station, typing fervidly on the keyboard.

Hammond stepped up behind him and looked over his shoulder, watching at the computer screen filled with computer coding. He didn't know what any of it meant, but Arnold seemed to understand it.

"Access security," Arnold muttered to himself, his cigarette bouncing as his lips moved. The computer beeped, and the words 'PERMISSION DENIED' appeared under the command he had just entered. "Access main security." Again, he was denied. Undeterred, he continued. "Access main program grid." The words 'PERMISSION DENIED' flashed on the screen, followed by a continuous stream of the phrase, 'YOU DIDN'T SAY THE MAGIC WORD!'

Almost immediately afterwards, the monitor on the left end of the workstation displayed an animated cartoon image of Nedry, dressed in a white Elvis costume, declaring, "Ah, ah, ah… you didn't say the magic word" on a continuous loop.

Arnold growled in frustration, rolling his chair over towards that monitor to glare at the screen. "Please, God damn it! I hate this hacker crap!" He smacked the top of the monitor, furious.

"Call Nedry's people in Cambridge," Hammond said, picking up the phone sitting on the desk, only to then remember that all communications—saved two-way radios—were out. He slammed the phone back in its holder and huffed out a string of curses. "That fat bastard is going to pay for this. I'll kill him!"

Arnold glanced up with concern. "Look, sir… John, this is going to take some time," he said, loosening his necktie. "Why don't you go downstairs to the cafeteria and get a cup of coffee? We'll call you when we have some news."

"Perhaps I will, Ray," Hammond gave a nod, conceding to Arnold's suggestion. Even he could acknowledge that he was of very little help in here. The staff were trained professionals, and were doing the best they could under difficult circumstances. He glanced over at the blank monitors that had once displayed the CCTV park security footage. Relenting with a sigh, he patted Arnold on the shoulder. "Hold the fort down."

"I'll try my best," Arnold muttered as he puffed on his cigarette and spun back around in his chair to face Nedry's workstation.

XXX

Castle ducked his head, pushing some wayward fronds out of the way as he trudged further into the park. Zoe and Charlie were right behind him, quietly bemoaning their long jungle trek. He glanced back at them, and gave them what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He held up a thick palm leaf for them as the continued through the densely packed foliage. Thankfully the storm had let up. It only seemed to be drizzling now. Patches of moonlight shone through the gaps in the canopy of trees above their heads. It was getting late, and they were fatigued. Castle had contemplated seeking shelter in one of the taller trees, but one look at Charlie told him that the young boy wouldn't be up for that. So they maintained their journey towards the maintenance shed.

"I'm hungry," Charlie whined softly, curling his hands around his stomach. "And tired. Can we take a break?"

"I'm hungry, too, Charlie," Castle sighed, carding his fingers through his disheveled hair. "And sorry, I don't think it would be wise to take a break… yet. We should be close to the maintenance shed." And then he added, under his breath, more to himself than to the kids, "If the map is accurate."

"Rick's right," Zoe said, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder. "We need to keep moving."

"Can you carry me, Rick?"

"Charlie," Zoe scoffed. "You're too big to carry."

"But I'm tired."

"Just a little big further," Castle said, attempting to reassure the boy.

Charlie nodded, nudging a small rock loose with his toe before he slumped his shoulders in defeat and continued on. Castle reached out with a hand and gave the boy's shoulder a comforting squeeze, before turning his attention to Charlie's older sister.

"How are you holding up, Zoe?" Castle asked, tilting his head down to look at the teen.

"Okay," she said with a shrug, rubbing her shoulder where it was sore. "Our Dad—_real_ Dad—used to take us camping. Charlie was too young to remember, but it was always the highlight of the year. So… yeah, I'm doing okay. Though… we haven't really gone camping much since mom married Mike." She paused, her face scrunching up with mixed emotions. "What do you think happened to him?"

"I'm not sure," Castle answered honestly, though he feared the worse. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Zoe said with a shake of her head. "Our Dad did things with us because he cared. Mike… he just wasn't really into that stuff. He rarely did anything with us if it also didn't include my mom. This… this trip was supposed to be our big bonding moment, at least that's what my mom was hoping."

Charlie seemed to have a different attitude. "He wasn't that bad, Zoe," he interjected. "Sure, Mike didn't really like hanging out with us, but he made mom happy."

Zoe sighed, and but nodded in reluctant agreed. "Yeah, he did."

Castle placed a hand on Zoe's shoulder. "Let's focus on getting back to the visitor center, and then we can worry about the rest… okay?"

Zoe nodded. "Okay."

They continued on for several minutes, climbing over gnarled, knotted roots, and pushing through hanging vines. The drizzle had now stopped and Castle saw it as a sign to give the kids a brief respite. Charlie sighed with relief, slumping against the nearest tree. They sat in quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. Castle felt for the kids. Clearly Mike wasn't the exactly best stepfather; nonetheless his death would still hit them hard. Of course, Castle didn't know if the man was really dead or not, but he felt it was a reasonable assertion, considering.

His thoughts inevitably turned towards Kate. He was worried about her. This was supposed to have been their long overdue romantic getaway, not the disaster it had become. Dropping his head into his hands, Castle scrubbed his face, trying to rid his mind of the worse case scenarios. It was the writer's curse. But he couldn't let himself fall down that path. Not now.

Despite all that, Castle still relied on his faith in his wife and her abilities. Kate Beckett was a fierce woman, tenacious and resilient. His warrior princess, though he'd never tell her that out loud, his shoulder wouldn't thank him. He had no doubt she could handle herself in any situation. However, even knowing that, Castle still felt an uneasy feeling low in his stomach.

He was used to being by her side, something he greatly missed since the D.A. had him kicked out of the precinct. Sure, he trusted the boys to have her back, but it was difficult relinquishing the working partnership they had spent years developing. They had been through so many life and death situations together, Castle had grown used to being her partner in crime. But now, when they were facing an extremely dangerous situation, it was beyond frustrating not knowing where Beckett was or how she was faring. It was all so nerve-wracking. He was quite certain that she was probably experiencing the same anxiety.

Shaking his head, Castle sucked in a full breath, and then pushed himself up, putting a hand on his right knee, feeling it protest under the strain. He stretched his muscles, giving the kids a little more time to rest. He brushed back some loose strands of hair that had flopped down over his forehead, and tugged the map out of his back pocket. He studied it for sometime, before deciding on a direction.

They hiked up a steep slope, using the low branches and the hanging vines for support. Reaching the crest, Castle turned back around and smiled, seeing the view of the lowland behind them. He nudged Charlie's arm and pointed out towards the horizon.

"You see that?"

Charlie scrunched up his nose and stared off in the direction Castle had indicated. His eyes lit up when he saw them. Long-necked herbivores could be seen grazing, munching on the leaf rich treetops of the lowlands below them. In the moonlight, they appeared a dull gray in coloring, similar to the hide of an elephant. The small bump on their head was their distinctive feature, separating them from other sauropods.

"Brachiosaurs!" the young boy exclaimed in excitement, clapping his hands. "I read about them in Dr. Grant's book." Castle chuckled. He never got to finish the book, though he had no complaints as to what had distracted him. "According to Dr. Grant, many paleontologists once thought that because of the position of their nostrils on the top of their heads that Brachiosaurs could breathe under deep water. But Dr. Grant believed that was unlikely, because the water pressure would have stopped them from breathing."

"You're just full of information, aren't you?" snipped an annoyed Zoe.

Ignoring her, Castle and Charlie watched with awe as the gentle giants slowly closer and closer. Zoe, however, seemed nervous by their approach. She tugged on Castle's arm. And he quirked an eyebrow up as he glanced down at her.

"As much as I love the break," she drawled out with typical teenage snark, "shouldn't we get moving before those beasts come over here."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Castle said, smirking. "But, you're right. We shouldn't linger." Placing a hand on Charlie's shoulder, he gently encouraged the boy to turn away from the soothing sight and back to the jungle. As if on cue, somewhere off in the distance the tyrannosaur roared. It sounded angry. Castle could only imagine what had enraged the gigantic predator. He walked on along with the kids, doing his best to pretend like he hadn't heard the bellowing roar. But, of course, that was too much to ask for.

"Are you hearing this?" Zoe questioned, stopping in her tracks, putting a hand on Charlie's arm. The boy's eyes grew wide, and he bobbed his head.

Sighing, realizing that it was futile to ignore it, Castle shook his head in answer. "It was far off. We should be okay."

Zoe narrowed her eyes, unconvinced by his front, but relented soon enough. She wrapped an arm around Charlie's shoulder, keeping her younger brother close as they hiked onward. Castle sucked in a deep breath, and followed behind them, looking at their surroundings, trying not to think of all the horrors they had experienced and had yet to encounter.

"Look!" Charlie cried out, extending his arm out and pointing down the hill.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Castle blinked his eye and squinted in the dim light, only barely making out the solid straight lines of a concrete bunker embedded into the hillside alongside the flowing waters of a river. He pulled the crumpled map out of his back pocket and carefully unfolded it. Yes. That was it. There was a river running along side the maintenance shed on the map.

"I think this is it," he told the kids, urging them forward.

Zoe took Charlie's hand, and the children began the slow descent down the slope. Castle pocketed the map, and shoved the large ferns aside as he followed behind them, keeping a watch on their footing to assure neither fell. The trees were thick and the branches firm, providing them with secure handholds for the climb down. The ground wasn't as muddy as it had been near the barrier by the main road. To be honest, Castle wasn't even sure they were still in the tyrannosaur paddock. They could have easily wandered into another enclosure without even realizing it.

They were close enough that Castle could hear the babble of the river as the current flowed by. The children skidded ahead, dropping to their knees along the riverbank. Castle let out a puff of air and joined them, plopping down and dunking his head under the cool water. He then cupped his hands and took a couple gulps. He was too thirsty to worry about any bacteria that might be present in the water.

Refreshed, Castle pushed himself back up to his feet, reaching down to rub his bad knee. That damn skiing accident was coming back to bite him in the ass. On the bright side, it was a constant reminder of what could happen when he tried to show off in front of his wife. It was hard to hold back when it came to Beckett. They were both highly competitive individuals, a fact he learned surprisingly early in their relationship.

"Do you think there'll be a phone in there?" Zoe asked as she readjusted her ponytail, snapping the rubber band back into place.

Castle shrugged. "We can only hope."

He took the lead, marching through the bracken and underbrush, towards the concrete bunker. Stenciled in black spray paint along the sides was 'JP MAINT 47'. When they got closer, they emerged onto an access road. Startled by their sudden appearance, several small, chicken-sized dinosaurs chirped noisily and bounced back anxiously, twisting their little necks around to glance up at them.

"What are they?" Zoe inquired, gazing warily down at the little greenish brown lizards.

"Oh… I know, I know!" Charlie enthused, practically squealing with delight. "I read about them in Dr. Grant's book. Compsognathus, compys for short."

"Are they dangerous?" Zoe questioned, risking a glance towards her brother as the curious little compys cautiously approached, long necks stretching up to sniff at her scraped knees.

"Nah," Charlie shook his head. "I don't think so. The book said something about them being scavengers, feeding off the leftovers from larger predators."

Castle watched the scene with a wary eye. The tiny dinosaurs seemed quite taken with Zoe. They were prancing around her with interest. The teen knitted her eyebrows together as she stared down at the little beasts. Charlie was slowly inching in from the side with a mischievous look in his eye.

"_Charlie_," Castle warned.

"I just wanna pet one," the boy insisted. "They're so cute."

"I don't think they're cute," Zoe put forth, slowly backing away from the bouncing group of compys. It was then that one snapped at her leg. She yelped and jumped back, startling the little dinosaurs back. Like a flock of birds, the group hopped back as one, hissing and hooting in surprise.

Castle didn't like the look of this. He reached out and grabbed Charlie, pulling him back. One brave compy moved forward, out of the group, stalking towards the alarmed Zoe. Carefully, Castle unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of the loops. Using the belt like a whip, he snapped the leather out over the compys head, frightening the little beasties.

"Back… get back!" he shouted, snarling at them, and making himself as threatening as possible. He snapped the belt again, this time striking the lead compy. The creature howled in pain and fear, skidding back. The entire group clustered close together. Castle advanced on them, again snapping the belt over their little bobbing heads. One more whack of the belt and the compys scattered, chirping and hooting fearfully. They darted in different directions, disappearing into the dense tropical underbrush.

Zoe sighed with relief. "Thanks," she said.

Castle inclined his head, and weaved the belt back through the loops on his jeans. "I think they were more interested in your scraped knees than anything else," he said, before turning to Charlie. "I believe Dr. Grant's book also said something about compys willing to go after injured juveniles… which would have included both you and Zoe today."

Charlie gulped, eyes going wide with fear. "Good thing you scared them off before I got close enough for them to bite off one of my fingers," the boy said, laughing nervously.

"You should talk," groaned Zoe, putting her hands on her hips. "They were swarming around me, snapping at my legs. They could have done a lot worse than bite me."

While listening to the children bicker, Castle arched his neck and looked down the path of the road they were presently standing on. If the maintenance shed was a bust, they could probably walk the road back to civilization. And if the compys showed up again, it would be easy enough to scare them off. Turning, he gestured for Zoe and Charlie to precede him. The two kids stopped their arguing and scampered across the road, running up the small flight of steps that led up to the bunker. The plashing of the river was much louder now. Castle looked around the corner of the concrete bunker to see the flowing water of the river running along the back left side of the maintenance bunker. The corrugated metal door was painted a dark red, and the number forty-seven was stenciled on it in a large yellow block font.

"It's locked," Charlie observed, tugging on the padlock at the base.

"Oh, that's no problem," Castle said, digging his wallet out of his pocket. He opened it, and removed a paperclip that was holding together some cards he had printed for his P.I. business: Castle Investigations. He was particularly proud of the embossed logo. Alexis had helped him with the design. Gently kneeling down on the concrete platform, he bent his back and twisted the thin metal wire of the paperclip around until he could use it more effectively.

"Whoa, are you going to pick the lock?" Zoe questioned, her eyebrows nearly rising into her hairline.

"That's the general idea, yeah," Castle confirmed, his eyes as he worked the paperclip inside the lock.

"Cool!" Zoe enthused, grinning widely as she bent down to observe what he was doing. Charlie merely furrowed his brow in confusion, but mimicked his older sister's enthusiasm.

The padlock clicked and Castle grinned, sitting back and yanking the lock back, freeing the curved rod from its holder. He maneuvered it through the loop, and stood up. Bending down, he gripped the handle along the corrugated door and tugged it up. The metal rattled as he slid it open.

Inside, the maintenance shed was dark. He had to squint to see anything. The interior was larger than he had expected, leading him to conclude that the shed's interior dug into the sloping hillside. There were some tools, a shovel and wire cutters, a spool of electrical wire, a handful of florescent light tubes, two work boots, two hardhats, and two yellow windbreakers. Nothing of much help.

Charlie started to explore, itching to discover what treasures he could find. Zoe stayed near the opening, watching Castle with wary eyes, rightfully concerned about their hopes. Castle shared a look with the teen, and then walked inside, heading deeper into the gloomy recesses of the building. He pushed past five-gallon containers of herbicide, tree pruning equipment, spare tires for a Jeep, coils of cyclone fencing, hundred-pound fertilizer bags, stacks of brown ceramic insulators, empty motor-oil cans, work lights and cables.

Ignoring those items, Castle stepped over to a metal workbench pressed up against the one wall. The surface was littered with folders and binders. Castle couldn't help but grimace at the sloppiness of the place. He flipped through some of the folders, not really sure what he was looking for, seeing only maintenance schedules and records. He grabbed a white binder with the Jurassic Park logo on it, and was pleased to uncover the landline underneath.

He eagerly snatched the phone out of its cradle and held it up to his ear.

Zoe gazed up at him with hopeful eyes. "Well?"

Castle frowned. "Nothing. The line's dead," he said, face falling with disappointment as he replaced the phone. He noted a rack of dark plastic holdings along the side wall with numerous slots for electronic devices. A black cable ran down along the wall, where it plugged into a socket. He would wager good money that that's where the radios were stored for recharge when not in use. Sadly, all the slots were empty.

"Hey, guys!" Charlie called out from the other end of the bunker. "I think I found something"

Castle and Zoe quickly crossed the distance to join him.

"What is it?" Zoe asked, her desperation leaking through the tone in her voice.

Charlie pointed up to a plastic gray case mounted against the wall. Stenciled across the case were the words: RAFT. The boy looked up at Castle and Zoe, and smiled. "You think this could help?"

XXX

The jeep barreled on down the road. Kate leaned back in the seat, her heart still pounding fiercely against her ribcage from the close call with the T-Rex. For a moment there, she had really thought that the ancient predator would catch up with them and they would be goners. But thankfully, the power of modern automobile engines had been enough to get them to safety, projecting them at speeds that surpassed the capabilities of the mighty tyrannosaur.

At present, despite some of her objections, Muldoon was taking them back to the Visitor Center complex, where evacuations were underway. Kate would prefer to go back and do a more thorough search for Castle and the kids. However, she had to concede that Muldoon was right. They needed to get Todd and Sally back to the Visitor Center, especially Todd, who needed proper medical attention.

The jeep swung around a turn sharply, and Kate had to grip the dashboard to keep her steady. Muldoon wasn't taking any more chances, wanting to put as much distance between them and the tyrannosaur as possible. In the beam of the headlights, Kate could barely see what looked like little dinosaurs scurrying along the side of the road. A greenish-brown hue, they were about the size of a chicken, the largest of them about the size of a domestic cat. They had pointy snouts and beady little eyes. Seeing them now, Kate could understand why some scientist believed that modern birds were related to dinosaurs. Their heads rested on a long, slender neck, and their slim bodies moved easily through the dense foliage, as they bounced around on chicken-like legs, their long tails keeping them balanced as they scampered from one fallen log to the next perch. Concerned, she pointed them out to Muldoon, who groaned.

"Compys," he said with an annoyed expression. "Don't worry, they're harmless."

Watching the compys scamper about, a thought suddenly struck Kate. "So it wasn't just the tyrannosaur paddock that lost power?" she concluded, making it a question just because she wasn't entirely sure if she was correct in her assumption.

"Huh?" Muldoon frowned. "Oh… No. Whole bloody park is down… except for the raptor pen, that's on a different system. But those compys, nah… they're like pigeons, or worse… rats. They're everywhere. We've never been able to keep them caged up. Smart little bastards. But they're mostly harmless. They're scavengers, like hyenas. They rarely threaten guests. Mainly just feed off the leftovers or crumbs. People seemed to like seeing them. So we let them roam free."

"Seems dangerous," Kate hedged, craning her neck to gaze back at the little dinosaurs hopping around along the side of the road. She watched the compys chirp and jump around for a second or two, before shaking her head and turning her attention back to what really mattered, at least to her. "What about Castle and the kids?"

Muldoon glanced briefly at her as he steered them along the curvy access road. "I'm sorry, Detective Beckett," he said. "But right now, we have other fish to fry. We've got to get Mr. DiLaurentis back to the med lab."

"I know," Kate sighed in defeat, arching her neck to glance back at Sally and Todd. The blonde had quieted, and was leaning against her injured fiancé, curled into him. Despite how she felt about Todd and his meathead attitude, Kate sympathized with the couple. She'd probably be the same way if their roles had been reversed and it was Castle with the broken leg. Turning back to Muldoon, she continued, "I… I just feel so useless right now. I've got faith in Castle. He can take care of himself. He's proven himself enough over the years we've been together. I just… I've always been there, you know? To make sure he didn't get himself into too much trouble."

"Look, I know how you feel," Muldoon told her with a sympathetic expression. "I don't like it either. But running blindly into things won't help either. Once we get back to the Visitor Center we'll be able to better assess the situation. In the meantime, just focus on your faith in him. If anything, that should help."

She nodded, pursing her lips as she turned her gaze back out to the foliage flying past them. Kate had faith in Castle and his abilities. But even with that, she couldn't help but worry about him. She couldn't lose him. Not now. Not after everything they'd been through to get to this point in their relationship. There was still so much more for them to do. She couldn't—NO… she _wouldn't_ lose him. She loved him too much for that. Sighing, she leaned back in the passenger seat, closing her eyes as the wind whipped around her hair. She'd go along with Muldoon's plan for now. But once she gave Mr. Hammond a piece of her mind, she'd find whatever weapons she could, and then she would go back out into the park and find her husband.

Nothing would stand in her way. She was going to get Castle back, alive and unharmed.


	14. Never Had Control

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 13 – Never Had Control**

* * *

Kate followed Muldoon through the door. She squinted and glanced around at all the activity. Computer technicians, all in need of a good shower, were rushing about, hunched over keyboards, or crawling underneath the tables to attempt to rewire the system. The frenetic energy was almost oppressive. She had to heave in a deep breath to avoid getting swept up in it. Kate narrowed her eyes, and marched on behind Muldoon as the Game Warden stalked down the ramp towards the center platform that overlooked the entire control room.

An elderly man with a white beard turned at their approach. He leaned heavily on his cane as he shifted around on his feet to face them.

"Robert… have you seen Dennis?"

Muldoon stopped short and frowned. "No. I haven't seen him."

"Damn," grumbled the older man. He stamped his cane against the floor. He looked down in frustration before looking back up and catching sight of Kate. "And who's this?" he inquired, quirking up an eyebrow.

"Ah," Muldoon stepped aside and gestured towards her. "Mr. Hammond, this is NYPD Detective Kate Beckett."

"Pleasure to meet you," Hammond smiled politely and gripped her hand in a weak handshake. "You're lovely, my dear."

"She and her husband were on the park tour, sir," Muldoon interrupted.

"Oh, my… was anyone hurt?" Hammond asked.

Kate narrowed her eyes, unsure whether the man was genuine in his concern or not. "Yes," she snapped, crossing her arms under her breasts before Muldoon could answer. "One man was killed by your pet T-Rex, another—Todd DiLaurentis—was severely injured, and two young children, along with my husband are now missing."

"Dear me, that is most distressing!" he responded, moving back and collapsing in a nearby chair. He scrubbed his hand up and down his face.

"_Distressing_!" Kate sneered, close to seething, stalking towards him, tired of this billionaire's bullshit. Muldoon followed behind her, watching her cautiously, but not intervening. "I'd say it is a lot more than distressing, Mr. Hammond."

Hammond glared up at her, clearly offended by her attitude. "What do you expect me to do? As you can see, we're in a crisis."

"You have jeeps and security personnel, lend me some so I can go out and get my husband and those kids back safely."

"I'm sorry," Hammond said, waving off her request. He gripped the amber head of his cane and heaved himself back up to his feet. "But that's out of the question. We need all the security we've got to manage the evacuation. We don't have the men to spare."

"That's bullshit!" Kate growled.

Muldoon took a step forward and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Easy lass," he said. "I hate to say it, but Mr. Hammond's right." Hammond smiled at the support, and Kate's glare intensified. "However," the game warden continued, hardening his voice. "I'm not busy. Once we get the jeep fueled, I'll go with you."

Kate swallowed, glancing between the two men. She could tell she wouldn't get anywhere with Hammond, so she decided to accept Muldoon's offer. She released a breath and inclined her head in the game warden's direction. "Thank you."

Hammond shook his head, clearly unhappy with the bargain, but remained silent, letting it stand. He huffed out a breath and spun around, hobbling down a small set of steps to the lower control room. Muldoon gestured to Kate to follow, and she did.

She stepped down into the corner of the room, seeing a black man hunched over a work terminal with several computers arrayed along the desktop. He had glasses and a thin mustache. A cigarette bobbed in his lips as he mumbled to himself while his fingers punched furiously along the keyboard in front of him. There was an annoying musical taunt coming from one of the computers to the left.

"Ray, will you please switch that off," Hammond grumbled, scowling down at the monitor with a cartoon image of a man dressed in a white Elvis costume waving his finger at them.

The black man rolled his chair over to that computer monitor and punched in a series of buttons along the top of the keyboard. Within moments the control room was returned to silence, saved for the buzz of the bustling staff attempting to regain control of the system. Hammond sighed with a relief, and limped over to another chair, plopping down into it. He pulled a cloth hanky out of his breast pocket and wiped his sweaty brow. Kate ignored the irritating businessman and focused on the computer tech.

"Kate Beckett, this is Ray Arnold," Muldoon introduced them. "He's Chief of Operations."

"Pleasure," Arnold said, nodding in her direction. "Though, I feel more like chief of a shit storm right now than anything else."

"Don't let me interrupt you," Kate said, staring past Arnold and at the mass of incomprehensible commands that scrolled by quickly on the screen. "You're busy enough as it is."

"Don't I know it," mumbled Arnold as he punched in more keystrokes, but nothing changed on the screen, at least from what Kate could tell.

"How you doing?" Muldoon asked. "Are we getting anywhere with these procedures of yours? I mean… what's hanging us up?"

Arnold sighed and ran a hand down his face. He reached around and rubbed the back of his neck as he stretched his back. "I ran a key check on every stroke Nedry entered today. It's all pretty standard stuff, until this one—"

Kate stepped forward, glaring down at the screen, falling back into detective mode. "What one?"

He pointed to the computer monitor, and she narrowed her eyes, examining the specific series of commands Arnold indicated. Kate couldn't really read computer coding, but she'd seen Tory work enough magic to trust Mr. Arnold's assertion that something was wrong. Hammond huffed and pulled himself up from his seat, staggering over to join them. The line of coding read: _Keycheck/space -o keycheck off safety -o_.

Arnold tapped the screen with his finger, and translated for them. "You see, right here, he's turning the safety systems off," he said. "He doesn't want anybody to see what he's about to do. Now look at this next entry, it's the kicker." Arnold moved his finger to the next series of commands. It read: _wht . rbt . obj._ "White rabbit object. Whatever it did, it did it all. But with the Keycheck off, the computer didn't file the keystrokes. Only way to find them now is to search the computer's lines of code, one by one."

Kate furrowed her brow, absorbing the information. On their way up to the control room, Muldoon had told her about Dennis Nedry, and how they suspected him of sabotage. Clearly this man was a skilled and highly talented computer programmer. She wasn't surprised he'd then been able to mask his work. Curious, she arched her neck to glance at Arnold, and asked, "How many lines of code are there?"

Arnold took a long puff of his cigarette, before blowing the smoke out against the screen. "Um… about two million."

Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "Two million!"

Arnold nodded in confirmation. He ran his fingers over his closely cut hair, and turned to look at Hammond. "John. John."

Hammond startled, and pulled his gaze away from the screen to look at Arnold. "Yes, what?"

"I can't get Jurassic Park back online without Dennis Nedry."

Kate watched as Hammond sighed, his shoulders, whole body, sagging with defeat. "Then that's it, then," he said, turning to look at Muldoon. "Robert—perhaps you should escort Miss Beckett to the ferry docks and see that she safely gets on a—"

"It's _Detective _Beckett," Kate interrupted, glaring at the old man. "And I'm not going anywhere without my husband."

Hammond returned her glare for a long moment before answering. "So be it."

XXX

Castle stood on the concrete platform surrounding the maintenance shed, staring up at the heavens, watching as the clouds slowly parted to reveal the stars above. The moon was large, glowing bright, untouched by the horrors he and the children had witnessed in the last few hours. After finding the raft, it had been decided it would be best to hunker down for the night. Riding down a strong flowing river at night was dangerous at best, foolhardy at worst.

He tried not to think of Beckett, but as with everything that came with his wife, he couldn't help himself. Closing his eyes, he gently brushed his fingers along his lips. It seemed almost impossible, yet they still tingled from their farewell kiss. He could still feel the phantom touch of her fingers caressing his face. Oh, how he wished it could be real and not his imagination. Pursing his lips, Castle made a silent vow to whatever high power that was out there and watching that he would make it back to Kate… no matter what.

The sound of the children bickering pulled him out of his ruminations, and Castle sighed, carding his fingers through his disheveled hair as he returned to the present and turned to walk back inside the concrete bunker. When he stepped through the doorway, he reached up and pulled down the corrugated metal door behind him. He looked for an interior lock, but couldn't find one. He would just have to hope it would have to do. It wasn't like dinosaurs could open doors.

"Dorkatops!" hissed Zoe from deeper in the bunker.

"Straight-A brainiac!" snarled Charlie hollered back.

"Hey now," Castle said, stepping over to their little makeshift camp out. Earlier, he and Zoe had pulled out some tarps and laid them down across the floor, hoping that by layering them they could create a kind of bedding, of sorts. One of the battery power lanterns was sitting off to the side, illuminating the small corner they'd tucked themselves in. Castle dropped down to his knees, and gently nudged the squabbling siblings apart as he turned around and settled down between them. He let out a breath, and leaned back against the cold wall.

"This isn't really comfortable," Charlie complained, sticking out his lower lip on a pout.

Castle grinned, immune to such pleas, having perfected that look years ago. "It's only for one night," he said, squeezing the kid's shoulder sympathetically. "We'll just have to make do."

"Fine, I guess I can rough it for one night," Charlie conceded, settling in alongside him.

To his surprise, both children nestled against him, whether for warmth or security, he couldn't say… maybe even both. Zoe wrapped an arm around his torso and laid her head against his shoulder. The way she squeezed into his side reminded him of when Alexis was younger and needed some reassurance from her daddy. Oh, how he missed those days when it was so easy to soothe his little girl. He let out a sigh and rested his head back against the cool concrete wall, trying to get comfortable.

"You're a writer, right?" Zoe questioned, her voice soft, almost timid.

"Yeah," he answered. "I have over 30 bestsellers to my name. Why?"

Zoe let out a nervous laugh. "Mind writing us a way out of this mess?" she asked.

"I would if I could," he said. "I really would. But don't worry, Zoe, we'll make it back."

"You really think so?" Charlie asked from the other side.

"Yeah," he said, arching his neck to look down at the boy, putting as much conviction into his voice as he could. "I really think so."

"You're what my mom calls an optimist," Zoe said.

"No argument there," he chuckled. "My wife used to joke that that was one of the reasons she put up with me."

"How'd you two meet?" Zoe asked.

Castle pursed his lips; his eyes sparkled with the memory of their first encounter. "That's a long story."

"Well, we're not going anywhere," Zoe pointed out.

"Yeah," yawned Charlie, shifting against Castle's side. "We need something to distract us."

He knitted his eyebrows together, mulling over the idea. "Mmm… okay," Castle agreed. "You're right." He moved his backside a bit, settling in for the night, Zoe shifted closer and Charlie closed his eyes. Castle wetted his lips with a flick of his tongue, and then proceeded to give them a watered down version of his first case with Detective Kate Beckett.

XXX

She wanted nothing more than to rush out there, heedless of any dangers, and find her husband. It had been a while since she'd gone more than a day without seeing his face. And she didn't like it, especially after the summer of lonely nights, missing him, uncertain whether he'd return, even—in her darkest moments—doubting him, falling into the web of distrust and accusation spun by the FBI and media. And when he had finally come back to her, though still wrought with uncertainty and misgivings, Kate had sworn that she would never let him out of her sight for too long, within reason.

Muldoon had seen her pacing in the control room, frustrated and exhausted. After an hour it had become clear to her that they wouldn't be going out again tonight, even if the jeep were fueled and ready. With such fierce predators as the Tyrannosaurus Rex on the loose, they needed the advantage of sunlight to conduct a proper search without worrying about being stalked by the prehistoric killing machine. Kate's logical mind had been forced to agree with the game warden, but her heart pleaded with her to rebel. In the end, her body had betrayed her, screaming out for sustenance and rest. Kate had been forced to concede defeat.

Now she was aimlessly meandering around the cafeteria, walking past the empty buffet lines, almost oblivious to all the food left after the power went out. There was only a handful of staff members present, all of them scarfing down their late night meals as quickly as possible. A man dressed in a blue security uniform rushed past, his radio squawking. From what little she could make out over the radio chatter, it sounded like the evacuation was well under way.

Kate hoped everything went okay. Just before she came down to the cafeteria, she'd talked with one of the jeep drivers, a man named Wallace, and made him promise to ensure that Todd and Sally got on one of the ferries heading for the mainland. It was hoped that when the three ferries currently docked reached the mainland, the crews would be able to send back help.

Turning with her half-empty tray of food, Kate shuffled into the eating area. The lights were off. The only illumination came from the floodlights from outside, running on emergency generators. The Visitor Center was supposedly on a different power system, but it appeared most of the power was centered in the control room. As Kate surveyed the empty tables, all she could think about was how crowded it had been that morning. Her and Castle had spent nearly twenty minutes wandering around until they'd found an empty table.

Off to the side, away from the rest of the staff, Kate spotted the lone figure of John Hammond. The old man was sitting at the head of the table, an array of ice cream cartons fanning out around him. Knitting her eyebrows together, Kate hesitated for but a moment before weaving her way through the empty sea of tables and chairs, approaching the owner of Jurassic Park with only slight hesitation.

Clearing her throat, Beckett inclined her head towards one of the empty chairs at the table. "May I join you?"

Hammond raised an eyebrow in surprise, yet nodded, and with a little wave of his hand, granted her permission to sit. Kate sat down and placed her tray of food before her. She glanced down, and nearly sneered at it. Nothing against the cuisine, she was sure it was excellent. It was just that her stomach was already in knots with worry for Castle that she didn't know if she'd be able to actually eat any of it. She glanced up at the cartons sitting on the table, watching as Hammond dipped his spoon in one.

"They were all melting," he said as way of explanation, catching her glance. He reached over and grabbed another spoon, offering it to her with a friendly smile.

Kate took it with a nod of thanks, and scrapped out some ice cream from a nearby bucket. She brought the spoon to her mouth and was amazed by the richness of the flavor. Hammond must have read her expression, because his smile widened.

"Ha, spared no expense," he said.

"Yeah… I can tell," Kate responded, putting the spoon down and folding her hands together on the table in front of her, as she would in the interrogation room.

"You don't like me much?"

"I don't know you," she offered with a shrug. "But from what I've seen so far, you seem to care more about preserving the reputation of your resort than the lives of its visitors."

"Hey… now that's unfair," Hammond said, jabbing a finger in the air. "I spent considering time and money ensuring that this park would be safe for visitors. My own grandchildren took part in the trial run of the tour. I wouldn't have let them participate if I hadn't thought it was safe."

"What about park employees?" Kate asked, shifting gears. "Muldoon and Mr. Arnold have filled me in on Dennis Nedry. I took the liberty of speaking with some of your other employees—"

"Always the detective."

Kate gave him a tight smile, but continued. "Were you aware of Mr. Nedry's financial issues?"

Hammond reached up to brush back some wisps of white hair from his forehead. "Yes," he answered cautiously, eyeing her warily. "We had several debates on the matter. But I told him what I always told him."

"And what's that?"

"I don't blame people for their mistakes," Hammond recited, "but I do ask that they pay for them."

Kate nodded, narrowing her eyes. "An interesting sentiment coming from the man who's going to be held responsible for every death on this island."

"I didn't shut the power out… Nedry did," Hammond growled, his eyes aflame with indignation. But almost as fast as it rose, the fire faded from his eyes. He slumped back in his chair, looking defeated. "It doesn't matter, does it?"

"No," Kate answered, sympathetically, and actually feeling it. "It doesn't."

Hammond sighed, taking his glasses off to clean them. He blinked several times, and cocked his head, as if staring off into space. "You know the first attraction I ever built when I came down from the south of Scotland? It was a flea circus. Really quite wonderful." His lips tugged up slightly as he retreated into the memory. "We had a wee trapeze, a roundabout—a merry-go—what do you call it?"

"Carousel?"

"A carousel," he nodded. "And a seesaw." Hammond replaced his glasses and smoothed back the wisps of white hair flopping down over his forehead. "They all moved… motorized, of course, but people would swear they could see the fleas. 'I see the fleas, Mummy! Can't you see the fleas?'" he mimicked a child's voice. "Clown fleas, high wire fleas, fleas on parade…" his voice trailed off and he looked down, shoulders slumping.

Kate shifted in her seat, watching, waiting him out.

"But with this place," Hammond looked back up and Kate was startled to see tears in his eyes. "With this place," he repeated. "I… I wanted to show them something real. Something that wasn't an illusion. Something they could see… and touch. I mean, something not devoid of merit."

Kate sighed, resting her elbows on the table as she leaned forward. "But you can't think through this one, Mr. Hammond. You have to feel it."

Hammond squinted, gazing at her for a long moment, before he struck on what he believed she meant. "You're absolutely right," he jabbed the air with a finger. "Yes, you're right. Hiring Nedry was mistake, that's obvious. We're over-dependent on automation. I can see that now. But that's all correctable."

Shaking her head, Kate waved her hand to halt him. "You're still building onto the flea circus, that illusion," she tried to reason with him.

Undeterred, Hammond went on. "Creation. It's an act of sheer will. When we have control again…"

"Control!?" she snapped, stunning him into silence. "You never had control! That's the illusion." Kate pounded her fist down on the table for emphasis. The plate on her tray rattled, and Hammond flinched. But she had his undivided attention. "I was overwhelmed by the power of this place. But I made a mistake too. I didn't have enough respect for that power, and it's out now. You're sitting here trying to pick up the pieces. Mr. Hammond, there's nothing worth picking up. The only thing that matters now are the people we love. My husband is out there right now where people are dying. I don't know where he is, or how he is doing. But I do know he's trying his hardest to survive, to protect the two children he's with. Because that's who he is… that's the kind of man he is. The man I love. And it's eating me upside that I can't be there by his side, you know?"

Kate sniffled, surprised at how emotional she'd become during that little tirade. She wiped at the water in her eyes with the back of her hand, and then shook her head. Grabbing the spoon, Kate stretched out and scooped out some ice cream from a different carton. She tasted it, and smiled sadly, licking the back curve of the spoon.

"It's good," she said.

Hammond stared at her for a long moment, his face was different, as if the unhappy irony of what he was about to say was finally hitting home.

"Spared no expense."


	15. Reboot

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 14 – Reboot**

* * *

The rays of first light filtered through a high window up on top of the maintenance shed. Castle slowly blinked awake. His back was aching from leaning against the cold concrete, and his bad knee throbbed dully, still protesting from the strain he'd put on it the previous night. He stretched his neck, allowing the cobwebs of sleep to slowly clear as he assessed his surroundings. The bunker appeared undisturbed, and the children were still asleep. He gently extracted himself from them, careful not to wake the sleeping siblings. Standing up, Castle stretched his back, and walked over to the worktable on the other side of the small room.

Scrubbing his hands over his face, he blinked down at the map, more detailed than the one in his pocket. He ran his fingertip along the curve of the river, tapping the semi-circle of gray rectangles that were marked with the words _Visitor Trailers_. They didn't look that far. And judging from the topography of the map, this part of the island was at a higher elevation than the ridge the trailers sat on. Utilizing the raft, they could probably reach them in less than two hours. The trailers were self-powered by solar panels along the roofs, and were equipped with radio communications. If they reached the trailers, he could probably call for help.

Making his decision, Castle covered his mouth with a hand as he yawned. He looked back at the kids, still asleep, and decided he'd give them another hour of rest.

XXX

The sun was just cracking over the horizon, painting the lagoon in bright pinks and oranges. The boats bobbed listlessly in the water. The sight was almost serene. But little tranquility that existed was soon squashed by the harsh reality of the situation.

The loud squawk of a bullhorn sounded across the mass of people packed tightly along the loading ramp, all pushing and shoving, each trying to make it onto the departing ferries. The voice of a park employee echoed above the din, pleading with the desperate and frightened throng to remain calm. Security was out in force, trying to herd the assembled guests into manageable lines.

He watched it all, impassive and unmoved, from the passenger seat of one of the gas-powered jeeps. John Hammond had spent his life accumulating a fortune, a fortune which he had spent a considerable portion on this attraction and resort. Jurassic Park was supposed to be the crowning jewel of all tourist destinations. And now, like the Titanic before it, it was sinking. Yet instead of an iceberg, it had been a fat, slob of a man. Dennis Nedry had single handily brought Jurassic Park to its knees. What bothered Hammond the most was his inability to decipher a motive.

However, it didn't matter. Not really. In the end, the result was all the same.

He was ruined.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hammond caught sight of something scurrying out from the green foliage lining the road. People shrieked and cried out as compys scampered underfoot, in search of a quick meal. Just like pigeons in any municipal park, the compys had grown accustomed to park visitors tossing them food scraps. They were mostly harmless. Not once had the diminutive dinosaurs attacked a park employee or guest.

People shrieked and cried out in surprise as compys scampered around their feet, in search of a quick meal. The once welcomed tiny dinosaurs were no longer welcomed. The mob was on the verge of mass hysteria. Security moved in, shoving people aside, grabbing and snatching up the few compys they could reach, carrying them away. But there were so many. There was no way the park security could round them all up.

And then the unthinkable happened. A group of compys began snapping at the legs of a little girl. She screamed in terror. Her parents pulled her up into their arms and kicked at the little dinosaurs. The compys hooted and chirped, yet remained, circling the guests. Park security shoved their way through. Hammond watched in horror as the compys hooted and bounced, jumping at the security guard. He let out a grunt, swatting them away with a baton.

It didn't dissuade the little blighters. Soon the compys were scrambling all over the man. People backed away, too stunned to do anything but watch. The man blindly fired his pistol into the air, hoping to scare the compys off, but they were undeterred. One latched onto his leg, it's little razor sharp teeth digging into his calf. The security guard let out a cry of pain and collapsed. Hammond let out a terrified gasp as the compys swarmed over the fallen man.

The crowd burst into a panic. People screamed and cried as the emboldened compys began launching themselves at the other frightened visitors. Hammond watched from the safety of the jeep as the mob surged towards the docks, clambering for the ferries. The boats swayed dangerously as people shoved and pushed their way on. Security tried their best to contain the frightened people, but they were helpless.

Hammond grunted as he plopped down into the passenger seat of the jeep. He turned to the driver. "Get me out of here… NOW!"

The driver nodded, reaching for the gearshift, and punched his foot down on the pedal, sending the jeep careening in reverse. Hammond let out a startled cry a two compys jumped up on the jeep's hood, chirping and hooting, snapping their little jaws.

"Now, now, now!" he shouted at the driver, stamping his cane against the matted floor of the car.

The driver executed a swift spin, turning the jeep around. Unprepared for the sudden stop, the compys tumbled off with a surprised shriek. The driver put the jeep in gear and then sped away from the terrifying scene of death unfolding behind them. Hammond glanced back just in time to witness one of the ferries sway violently to the left, the cables anchoring it to the dock snapping as the flow of bodies clambered aboard. And then it was tipping. The screams were deafening, and Hammond shut his eyes, closed his ears to it.

Detective Beckett was right. Damn her. She was right. They never really had any control. It was all an illusion.

XXX

"This way," Castle said, leading the way out of the maintenance shed, holding the plastic gray case that had 'RAFT' stenciled on the lid in large lettering in his hands. The kids followed behind him, carrying the plastic red oars they'd found propped up against the wall, nearby the mounted case. He walked around the concrete platform surrounding the bunker and stepped down the ramp that led wooden dock that jutted out into the flowing river. The plants creaked under his weight, but held.

"I hope it's a big raft," Charlie said. "Because I can't swim."

"Don't worry," Castle said, arching his next over his shoulder.

"Maybe we can catch some fish," Zoe suggested, trying to lighten the mood, making everyone smile.

They reached the edge of the dock, and Castle set the case down with a grunt. He undid the buckles holding the lid down, and opened the case. Zoe and Charlie set the oars down and watched as he retrieved the deflated raft from inside the case. The synthetic material was of a yellow color, making it stand out in the dark greens and browns of the jungle around them. Castle turned the deflated raft around in his hands until he located a knob and handle. On the top interior of the lid were instructions. He read over them two more times, before placing the deflated raft above the water's surface.

"Ready?"

The kids looked at him hesitantly. He smiled, and tugged the strap, pulling it up and to the left, just as it said in the instructions. A loud hissing noise immediately filled the air, and the raft began to inflate at a rapid pace. Castle moved back, making sure he held on to the cord that he'd pulled on, as it was the only thing that would keep the raft from floating away once fully inflated.

The synthetic material rubbed together as the raft began to expand, unfolding and opening out, the yellow rubber stretching and filling with compressed air. It only took a minute for the entire thing to spread wide and flop down on the water with a loud splat. Silence returned the moment the raft finished inflating itself. Castle reached out and gripped the little red handles he found, and tugged the raft back towards the dock's edge.

After settling the raft, Castle gestured for the kids to climb in. Zoe went first, since Charlie was afraid because he couldn't swim. She held her hand out for her little brother. He took it, and anxiously stepped into the raft, curling into the center. Now it was Castle's turn. He turned and grabbed the oars. Picking them up, he handed one to Zoe, before he followed, and climbed into the raft, working at retaining his balance as the craft swayed in the water. He gently lowered himself to a sitting position, and with Zoe's help maneuvered the oars into place. And with one firm stroke of the paddles, they pushed off from the dock and began coasting down the river.

Castle hardly had to use the oars, the river's current was strong, and could carry them along, but from time to time, he had to adjust their trajectory to avoid hitting a stray log or jagged rock. Charlie's stomach growled loudly, and he put his hands over his middle, blushing slightly with embarrassment. Castle was hungry too. Though the maintenance shed had been full of some useful things, there hadn't been anything to eat.

"You sure about this, Rick?" Zoe asked, sitting on the bow of the raft and bending down to skim her fingertips along the surface of the water as they floated along with the current.

"From the map I found in the shed, yes," he bobbed his head, adjusting their direction to avoid a floating branch with pikes of leaves jutting out from the bark. "The river flows down into the hadrosaur paddock, curving along the slope before terminating in the lake in the valley below the ridge. We just need to reach the slope, and we'll be able to get to one of the camping trailers."

"I saw those in the brochures," Charlie spoke up, his voice a little meek from his fear of drowning, but a little more confident than it had been earlier. "I wanted to stay in one of those, but Mike said it was too expensive."

At the mention of his deceased stepfather, the boy furrowed his brow and looked down, growing silent. Zoe sighed, and crawled back to her brother, wrapping him up in her arms. Castle gave them a sympathetic look. When all this was over, the kids would have time to properly grieve their stepfather. As the children consoled one another, Castle tried not to let his mind wander, for fear he'd just lose himself in all the worse case scenarios that could be occurring at this very moment throughout the park. His eyes scanned the jungle canopy, vines hanging down from moss covered branches, the riverbank littered with fronds and ferns of various sizes and shades of green.

Beckett was out there somewhere. He swallowed thickly, praying that she was okay.

XXX

The mood in the room was hopeless. Kate was filled with a nervous energy and could not stop pacing. Hammond was arguing with Arnold about something, she really wasn't paying attention. Muldoon was sitting on one of the steps, scrubbing his hands over his face, still trying to grasp the reality of what had just happened at the visitor departure docks. Kate didn't blame him. She could scarcely imagine it herself. How on Earth could such small dinosaurs overwhelm a trained security force, attacking the evacuees, and cause, not just one, but both remaining ferries to topple over, taking away the only means of getting off the island?

Kate supposed they should at least be grateful that at least one of the three ferries that had been moored at the dock had already set off during the night, Todd and Sally amongst its passengers. So, she reckoned, there was still some hope that once that ferry reached the mainland, the help they so desperately needed could be sent. But any help that might come would be too late. It was daylight now, and she'd wasted enough time listening to everyone else's excuses.

Stopping her pacing, Kate turned towards Muldoon, intent on forcing him to make good on his offer to accompany her out in search of her husband and the children under his care. And if he refused, then she would just go herself. Kate stalked over to Muldoon, opening her mouth, but was distracted when Arnold suddenly jumped out of his chair, waving his hands in the air as he gave Hammond a look of absolute incredulity.

"No, no, no!" the operations manager shouted. "That's crazy! You're out of your mind." Arnold saw Kate and Muldoon staring at him with mirroring questioning expressions of their faces. He pointed at Hammond. "He's absolutely out of his god damn mind—!"

"Wait a minute," Kate held up her hand. "What exactly are you talking about?"

Hammond turned to face her, leaning heavily on his cane, a twinkle in his eye. "We're talking, my dear, about a calculated risk," he explained. "Which, if I'm not so bold in saying, is the only option left to us. We will never find the command Nedry used. He covered his tracks far too well. And I think it's obvious by now that he's not coming back." He paused to let the implication sink in. "So," he turned back to face Arnold. "Shutting down the system—"

"I will not do it," Arnold insisted, glaring at his employer. "You'll have to get somebody else, because I will not."

"—shutting down the system is the only way to guarantee wiping out everything Nedry did," Hammond continued, undeterred. "If I understand correctly, all systems will come back on to their original start-up modes… correct?"

Arnold took a puff of his cigarette and glanced up at Hammond. He offered a noncommittal shrug as he answered. "In theory, yes. But we've never shut down the entire system before. It may not come back at all."

Kate knitted her eyebrows together. "But would we get the phones back?"

"Yeah, again, in theory, but—"

"What about the lysine contingency?" Muldoon interrupted, speaking up for the first time. "We could put that into effect!"

"What's that?" Kate asked, wondering why it hadn't been suggested earlier.

Hammond shook his head. "It's absolutely out of the question," he insisted vehemently, stalking away to get a breather.

Kate turned to Arnold, and the man exchanged a look with Muldoon, before shrugging and giving her an explanation.

"The lysine contingency," he said, fingering his cigarette as he talked. "It's intended to prevent the spread of the dinosaurs in case they ever got off the island, but we could use it now. Our geneticists inserted a gene that makes a single faulty enzyme in protein metabolism. The dinos can't manufacture the amino acid lysine. Unless they're continually supplied with lysine by us, they'll go into a coma and die."

"How long would this whole process take?" Kate asked, wanting to know all her options. If there was a way to keep Castle safe, then she wanted to know about it.

"About…," Arnold scrunched up his face as he thought. "Seven days, more or less."

"Seven days?" Kate scoffed. "Are you serious?"

"It takes time to stop running the pro—"

"Time _we_ don't have," Kate said.

From the other side of the room, Hammond finally lost his cool. He stormed back, leaning heavily on his cane as he did so. "PEOPLE ARE DYING!" he bellowed with every ounce of authority at his command, silencing all other conversations in the room. Several other staff members in the control room stopped what they were doing and watched with undisguised curiosity.

Kate straightened her back, glancing around at everyone. She could literally feel the tension in the air. From the looks she saw amongst the control room staff, she would wager good money that Hammond had never been so furious before. The silence stretched on, no one dared to speak.

Hammond inhaled a deep breath, regaining himself, before directing his gaze at Arnold. "Will you please shut down the system." Though it sounded like a question, it most definitely was not. It was an order.

Arnold swallowed, and reluctantly stood up. He glanced around at everyone, and then offered up a shrug. "Alright," he said. "You asked for it."

Kate stood by Muldoon, who bent down and retrieved a flashlight from a cabinet by the steps, and watched as the operation manager slowly walked across the room to a red metal box on the wall. He removed a key from his belt, and unlocked the panel, opening it up. The metal hinges groaned. There was a row of four gray switches inside, with a green one underneath, which was labeled 'MAIN POWER'. Arnold flipped them off, one by one, leaving only a single lever left. The large screens mounted on the walls flickered off, along with a batch of computer terminals on the left side of the room. His hand hovered over the green switch, and he glanced back at Hammond, who glared back at him. Arnold sighed, and flipped the last lever.

The electric droning hum of every computer tower in the room abruptly ceased. Every monitor, every terminal, every fluorescent light immediately went out, plunging the room into near-darkness. Muldoon flicked on the flashlight he'd retrieved, providing them with some illumination. They all just stood there in the eerie stillness for a moment.

"How long will this take?" Kate inquired in a hushed voice.

"About thirty seconds," Arnold replied, passing the time by taking another long puff of his cigarette.

Kate, along with everyone, waited in silence. She glanced over at Hammond, watching as he pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabbed his beaded brow. She may not approve of some of the man's decisions as of late, but she had to give it to him. This latest decision took some guts. And if it worked, they might just be able to restore some control over the situation. It would definitely make finding Castle a whole lot easier.

After the thirty seconds had passed, Arnold turned back to the electrical box. He flipped the top row of safe switches back again, but then hesitated over the main switch. He arched his neck and glanced back over at them. "Hold on to your butts," he said, cigarette bobbing in his lips. He flipped the switch, the sound echoing throughout the silent control room.

And nothing happened.

There was a very long pause.

"Uh?" Arnold mumbled, looking around as if he'd expected this.

Hammond dropped his head in his hand, letting out a groan of defeat.

"It's not working," Kate sighed, utter disappointment and hopelessness filling her chest as the idea of finding and rescuing Castle suddenly became all the more difficult.

"Don't despair, Detective Beckett," Muldoon reached out to touch her arm. "We'll go to the armory and get some weapons. Don't let this setback discourage you. We'll find your husband and those kids. I promise you that."

Kate bit her lower lip and bobbed her head, willing to believe in his certainty. But before they could leave, Arnold, who had been staring blindly past them, suddenly raced over to one of the computer terminals located in the center of the control room, right underneath the central wall monitor.

"Shit! Ha!" Arnold let out a laugh, uncharacteristically joyous. "Damn. It's okay! It's okay! Look!" He pointed at the blank screen. "See that?! LOOK!"

Kate and Muldoon exchanged puzzled expressions as they approached, squinting their eyes as they tried to see what it was that Arnold saw. All Kate could see was a blank computer monitor. She shrugged.

"I don't see anythi—" her voice trailed off as her eyes flirted up to the top left hand corner of the screen, and the small blinking words she saw there: /SYSTEM READY.

Arnold clapped his hands together, face beaming with triumph. "It's on! It worked!" he enthused.

"See, I told you it would work," Hammond declared, smiling broadly, looking so damn smug and proud.

"Wait a minute," Kate said, holding up a hand to halt everyone's congratulatory fist pumps. "What do you mean it worked? Everything is still off."

Arnold nodded. "The shutdown must have tripped the circuit breakers," he explained. "All we have to do is turn them back on, reboot a few minor systems in here—the phone, security doors, half a dozen others—but it worked!" he clapped his hands again. "System ready!"

Beside her, Muldoon narrowed his eyes. "Where are the breakers?"

"Out in the maintenance shed," Arnold answered. "Other side of the compound. I'll go out there. Ten minutes max, and I can have the power back on in the entire park."

Hammond nodded, stepping in to pat Arnold's shoulder in gratitude. The operation manager singled out three of his computer techs and instructed them to accompany him. Kate watched the group follow Arnold up the ramp and out of the room. Hammond turned to address the rest of the staff.

"Just to be safe, I'd like to have everybody else in the emergency bunker until Mr. Arnold returns, and the whole system is back on its feet again."

He turned and placed a soft hand on Kate's arm. "We should get going, my dear."

"No," she shook her head, shaking off his hand. "I'm not going to hide away in some bunker, waiting. I'm going out there to find my husband and those kids."

"But, Detective, be reasonable—"

"This is not up for debate, Mr. Hammond," Kate hissed, making her point clear and gracing him with the glare she usually only reserved for suspects in the box.

"As you wish, _Miss_ Beckett," Hammond said, waving dismissively, as if he was washing his hands of her. He turned to Muldoon, gesturing towards the stairs. "Robert, if you will?"

Muldoon crossed his arms over his chest. "Sorry, sir, I can't," he said. "I made a promise to Detective Beckett, and I intend to keep it."

Hammond glowered at them. "Fine… have it your way." He turned and waved a young tech over. He placed a hand on the young man's shoulder and limped up the stairs.

Kate arched her neck and appraised Muldoon with a raised eyebrow. "You think he'll fire you for that?" she asked.

"Doesn't matter," Muldoon said. "When we're off this bloody island, I'm resigning." He cocked his head towards Kate and smirked. She returned it in kind. "Alright, lass, let's go. We'll stop by the armory first, get you equipped. What sort of weaponry are you cleared for?"


	16. White Water Rapids

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 15 – White Water Rapids**

* * *

Castle worked the oars, carefully steering them around a cluster of jagged rocks that stuck up out of the water. Charlie had fallen asleep, curled up into a ball in the center of the raft. Zoe remained leaning against the bow, lazily skimming her fingers along the surface of the water. A low trumpeting howl sounded from beyond the next bend in the river, and Zoe arched her neck to look back at Castle. Her eyes were wide with worry. Slipping off down from her perch, the teen crawled around the raft until she was able to locate herself closer to both him and her brother.  
Gripping the oars, Castle maneuvered the raft nicely around the bend. The moment the raft curved around the turn and settled, he looked up, and gasped in surprise at the sight before them. Lingering along the water's edge were a pair of hadrosaurs, commonly known as duck-billed dinosaurs. They were both a pale brown color, with some green mixed in around the duckbill shaped snout. One was bigger than the other, leading Castle to assume that the smaller of the two was a juvenile. A mother and her offspring.

The hadrosaurs startled at their arrival, but soon calmed, sensing no danger from them. Castle moved the oars, cutting the paddles into the water to slow the craft down. He might be in a hurry to get back to the trailers and the radios there, but he couldn't pass off the opportunity to observe two living duck-billed dinosaurs so closely. The large one prodded the smaller one with its snout, letting out a low trumpeting noise. The smaller one honked back, and dipped its head to drink from the rushing water.

Zoe reached out and shook Charlie's shoulder. The boy grumbled, and shook his head, balling up his hands into fists and rubbing his eyes. He gave his sister a disgruntled look, before spying the drinking dinosaurs.

"Hadrosaurs!" the boy enthused, scrambling up and perching himself on the edge of the raft, fear of drowning momentarily forgotten.

"Careful, Charlie," Castle hollered after him, but the boy waved off his concern, too fascinated by the duck-billed dinosaurs to care.

The hadrosaurs continued lapping at the water, unconcerned about their watchers. Castle arched his neck and peered around them, spying what looked like the rest of the herd grazing in a clearing not far behind. Zoe moved to sit beside Charlie, moving one hand up to rest along his shoulder. Castle smiled, she was a good older sister. It made him wonder how Alexis would be with a baby brother or sister, at least once he and Kate got to work expanding their family.

He was pulled out of his daydreaming of little Castle babies by the excited trumpeting cries of the herd. The mother and juvenile, drinking at the river's edge, raised their heads. Castle narrowed his eyes, seeing a dust cloud arise from the clearing, the honks and trumpeting calls of the herd growing louder and more insistent. The mother hadrosaur raised her head, craning her neck to glance back at the herd.

That was when the tyrannosaur struck.

With a thunderous roar, the beast came charging out of the densely packed foliage, latching its powerful jaws around the mother hadrosaur's neck. She cried out in pain and horror as her tail swung wildly. The juvenile honked fearfully, backing away from the river's edge, scurrying back, yet not abandoning its mother. The tyrannosaur growled, low in its belly, sinking its razor sharp teeth further into the female hadrosaur's neck.

Castle raised the oars, shifting the paddles to cease the drag, willing the strong current to speed them away from the scene. But it was too late. The tyrannosaur spotted them. Releasing the flailing hadrosaur for its jaws, it stared at them as they passed by. Behind the king predator the hadrosaur flopped around on the riverbank, before finding its footing in the mud and standing on shaky legs.

"So much blood," Charlie was shaking all over, one hand bouncing up and down against the rubber fringe of the raft.

Zoe's face had paled, and she clutched her brother's shoulder, trying to make him look away, but the boy couldn't be persuaded. Castle gritted his teeth, and rolled the oars, propelling the raft further away from the shoreline, trying to get them into the center of the river, where the current would be at its strongest.

The tyrannosaur reared its massive head back and roared. Ignoring the wounded hadrosaur and its juvenile stumbling behind it, the might T-Rex stomped along the riverbank after them. It bellowed loudly as the river current finally picked up and pulled them along at a quicker pace. Castle gripped the oars tightly, moving them when needed to avoid any logjams, both figurative and literal.

"Can we go any faster?" Zoe asked, arching her neck over her shoulder to look back at Castle.

"I'll see what I can do," he said, rowing as fast as he could. "Though, we should be okay here. I think the river is pretty deep. And we're far enough away. Besides, she can't swim."

Charlie was about to interject, his mouth half-opened, but was interrupted when the tyrannosaur's roar cut him off. On the shoreline, the big Rex dug its three-clawed foot into the mud and plunged into the water, sending white spray splashing up into the air.

"Um… I guess she can swim," Zoe shuddered.

"Of course she can swim!" Charlie shouted, irritated, covering his fear with unwarranted aggression.

"Well, how should I know?" Zoe questioned, both offended and frightened.

"Everybody knows tyrannosaurs can swim! It's in all the books!" Charlie replied. "Anyway, all reptiles can swim."

"Snakes can't."

"Of course snakes can, you idiot!"

"Hey!" Castle shouted, coping mechanism or not, completely done with their squabbling. He gritted his teeth and pumped his arms harder, putting as much strength and energy he had left into each swing of the oars. "Now is not the time for this. Zoe, get your brother away form the edge… and hold on to something!"

While the kids had been arguing, Castle had been watching the tyrannosaur, witnessing first hand just how well the prehistoric animal could swim. The T-Rex was now chest-deep in the water, but it could hold its big head high above the surface. It was at that moment that Castle realized that she wasn't swimming, but rather walking along the bottom of the riverbed, because moments later only the very top of the head—the eyes and nostrils—protrude above the surface. By then it looked almost like a crocodile, and it swam like a crocodile, swinging its big tail back and forth, so that the water churned behind it. Just behind the head, Castle could see the curve of the back, and the round shape of the tail as it occasionally broke the surface.

_Exactly like a crocodile_, he thought unhappily.

"Rocks!" Zoe shouted, clutching Charlie to her chest, loose strands of hair blowing wildly around her face. "Rocks, straight ahead!"

Castle cursed, and stretched his neck, gazing past the huddling siblings to get a glimpse at what awaited them. The river was narrowing, and flowing swiftly. The raft was going faster all the time, and it had nothing to do with Castle's rowing. It started to feel like an amusement park ride. Castle squinted his eyes, trying to catch the details ahead of them. That's when he noticed what exactly was going to happen.

"Shit!" he shouted, abandoning the oars and diving for the red plastic handrails along the side of the inflated tubes of the raft. "Rapids! Hold on to something!"

Zoe gripped her little brother and pulled him over to one of the handholds. The siblings stayed together as they approached the first drop. Castle risked a glance behind them, seeing the tyrannosaur rising up out of the water, the river becoming shallower the closer they got to the rapids.

The children screamed as the raft bounced down the first drop, water spraying into their faces, soaking them. Castle shook his head and blinked his eyes, curling his fingers around the handhold as they were spun around again. They were jolted left and right, tossed about violently. Zoe lost her grip on Charlie and the boy slipped out of her hold. The raft impacted against a smooth rock, and bounced backwards into the flowing water with a violent shove. The boy tumbled backwards, crying out for help.

Castle freed one hand and grabbed him just before he slid off the edge of the raft and into the open maw of the tyrannosaur tumbling along behind them. The tyrannosaur roared in displeasure. Clenching his jaw, Castle summoned up his strength and heaved the boy back away from the edge, clutching him to his chest as the raft came to another thunderous drop.

Water splashed in their faces, the roar of the water almost drowning out the roar of the tyrannosaur as she fumbled around in the rapids, desperately trying to restore her balance. The current had been too strong, and the beast had been swept up in the rapids, unable to prevent itself from being tossed around like potatoes in a sack. However, it didn't look like the tyrannosaur was being hurt at all. It only looked more furious than it already had been. Its tongue curled as it bellowed angrily. The mighty beast followed behind them down two more drops, before slamming hard against the rock face along the right side. It let out a whimpering roar and went limp, its massive bulk disappearing under the water as the current calmed and they floated out of the white water rapids.

Castle released his hold on Charlie, and the boy slid into the middle of the raft, heaving in deep gulps of air. Still clutching the gunwale along her side of the raft, Zoe looked back at them, blinking her eyes.

"Do you think it drowned?" she asked.

Charlie craned his neck over the side of the raft, before darting back. "No."

Castle took a look, and saw the bubbles the boy had noticed. He narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of a faint ripple along the surface of the water…heading straight towards them. "Ah… fu—Hang on!" he shouted, just as the massive head of the tyrannosaur bucked up from beneath the surface, almost directly underneath them. The raft bounced up into the air, spinning them crazily before it splashed back down again.

"Do something!" Zoe screamed. "Do something!"

Castle didn't know what to do. The oars were gone. He'd lost them when they had bounced around through the rapids. He scrunched up his face, racking his brain for some sort of solution. _You're a writer, damn it, you've written characters out of worse situations than this_, he told himself.

The tyrannosaur reared up alongside them, streams of water cascading down its leathery hide. Castle stared up into the massive maw of death, for the first time truly terrified that this was it. But then, just as the tyrannosaur was about to snap its jaws shut, the river's current increased and pulled them out of range of the disgruntled Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The prehistoric predator threw its head back and bellowed, enraged.

They spun around aimlessly, and temporarily ignoring the threat of the pursuing T-Rex, Castle focused on trying to stabilize the raft. With no oars or paddles, he was forced to use his hands and arms. Zoe saw what he was doing, and did her best to help out. Meanwhile, Charlie kept watch on the tyrannosaur as it tried to catch up with them. It swung its mighty tail hard, water frothing around it as it splashed towards them. The fearsome roar made Castle's heart pound even faster in his chest.

Squinting his eyes as he looked forward, Castle let out a breathless gasp. The river was still narrow and dark, but further ahead he could see the trees ended, and there was bright sunlight beyond, and a distant thunderous clamor. The river seemed to end abruptly in a peculiar flat line… The raft bounced along at a faster clip, rushing forward with a tremendous sped. Castle renewed his paddling with a vengeance, using both hands to try and steer the raft towards the riverbank.

"What is it?" Zoe shouted, mimicking his actions.

"It's a waterfall!" Castle shouted.

The raft swept out of the overhanging darkness into a brilliant morning sunlight. The three passengers blinked their eyes, blinded momentarily by the light. The swift current pulled them towards the lip of the waterfall. The roar was loud in their ears. Castle redoubled his efforts, but he only succeeded in spinning the raft in circles. It continued inexorably towards the fall.

Charlie grabbed his arm. "I can't swim!" the boy cried with wide terrified eyes.

Castle glanced about for something that could act as a flotation device for the boy, but there was nothing. With frightening speed, they came to the edge, and the roar of the waterfall seemed to fill the world. Castle grabbed Charlie and tugged him closer to his side, while with his other hand he groped around for a handhold on the gunwale. Zoe crawled over to them and wrapped her arms around his torso, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face in his chest.

"Hold on!" he shouted, trying to instill as much confidence into his hoarse voice as possible.

Behind them the tyrannosaur roared. Zoe screamed, and Charlie cried out in a panic, and then the raft spun around completely, the rear end dropping away, spilling them out into the air and thundering water.

And they fell.

The world went suddenly silent and slow.

It seemed to Castle that he fell for several long minutes. He had time to observe Zoe and Charlie curling into him as they fell. He had time to observe the frozen white sheets of the waterfall. He had time to observe the bubbling pool beneath them as they fell slowly, silently towards it.

Then, with a stinging slap, they plunged into the cold water, surrounded by white boiling bubbles. Castle had to suppress the gasp of pain that wanted out when he hit the water. With all his strength, he held onto Charlie as they were tumbled and spun, swirled around, and swept down through the pool. Somewhere during all that, he lost track of Zoe. But there was nothing he could do as the current pulled them along. With one arm wrapped around Charlie, Castle swam for the shore, clutching at warm rocks, slipped off, caught a branch, and finally pulled both Charlie and himself out of the main current.

Gasping, Castle dragged himself on his belly onto the scattered rocks along the shore. His lungs ached and burned, but he managed to pull himself to look back at the river just in time to see the yellow rubber raft tumble past him. Then he saw Zoe, battling the current. Wading back into the water, he stretched out and grabbed her hand, pulling her, coughing and shivering, onto the riverbank beside him and Charlie.

Chest heaving as he took in deep gulps of air, Castle pushed himself to his feet and turned back to the waterfall, watching as the tyrannosaur plunged over the edge and smacked hard into the splashing white water. There was a tumult as the tyrannosaur struggled before slipping beneath the surface, the water continuing the cascade down from above.

"Is… is it… is it dead?" stammered Zoe, rising up next to him, gasping for air.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, turning his back to the scene, and bending down to help Charlie up to his feet. He put a hand on Zoe's shoulder and encouraged her to move forward. "But we're not sticking around to find out."

XXX

Kate followed Muldoon down the dark steps, clutching the scoped rifle he'd provided tightly to her chest. Holstered around her waist, were two semi-automatic pistols, along with a tranquilizer dart gun. She highly doubted she would use the dart gun, but Muldoon had insisted. With the power now completely out, all the security locks on the building doors were open, so they'd had no trouble busting into the armory and absconding with some weapons. Muldoon had picked up a custom SPAS-12 shotgun, along with some extra ammo. Strapped to his belt were a silver pistol and a tranquilizer dart gun. Five of the ammo tubes spanning his belt contained spare darts. He'd also grabbed a sack of hand grenades.

"Just in case," he had answered her bemused expression with a half-smirk.

Now striding out into the parking garage beneath the visitor center, Kate let herself breathe. They were going to find Castle. She had to believe that, because anything else was unacceptable. Muldoon led the way around the concrete pillars, sweeping his flashlight wide, and she followed him down a small service ramp. Moving her own flashlight around, Kate spotted several park drivers milling about near one of the jeeps, looking uncertain and spooked.

Several of the men perked up when they saw them. Even more made no secret they were admiring her legs. Kate shuddered, wishing she'd had the chance to change out of her short shorts—which she had worn specifically to get a rise out of Castle—and into something more appropriate, but alas they didn't have time, and Kate wasn't about to waste time so she could have a wardrobe change.

Muldoon noticed the men's wandering eyes and gave them all a stern look. It seemed to do the trick, because they all looked away, several actually even had the decency to look shamefaced for their deplorable behavior during a time of crisis. She continued behind Muldoon as he walked down the ramp, casting a disapproving look over the group of jeep drivers.

"Sorry, lass," he muttered under his breath. "Not that I blame them, you are a very beautiful woman, after all."

Kate inclined her head in recognition of his comment.

"Mr. Muldoon, what's going on?" one man asked. "I was in the middle of gassing up my jeep when all the lights suddenly went out."

"Hammond decided we needed to shut down the entire system to wipe out whatever damage Nedry did to it," Muldoon answered them, heading over to a jeep marked with the number seven. He proceeded to load the grenades and his shotgun. Kate followed suit. "You should all probably stay here until Mr. Arnold gets the power back on. Safer than venturing out."

"And what about you, sir?" one of the drivers asked, stepping forward. Kate glanced back and narrowed her eyes. In the dim light illuminated by the flashlights, she thought he looked familiar. Yes. He did. He was the park employee who had driven her and Castle up to their trailer.

"Detective Beckett and I are heading out to find her husband," Muldoon answered. "He went missing, along with two children. We intend to bring them back."

"Why not wait for the power to come back?" the driver asked, frowning.

"The longer we wait, the more our chances of finding them decrease," Kate said, annoyed with the delay they were causing. "Now… are you going to help, or just stand there gawking?"

Muldoon glanced at her approvingly, and pursed his lips in a tight grin, before turning back to the men. "Any volunteers?"


	17. Hold On To Something

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 16 – Hold On To Something**

* * *

The crackling of thunder sounded in the distance, and Castle frowned, squinting his eyes as he glanced up, trying to peak through the tree canopy at the sky above. He really hoped another rainstorm was not on the way. He'd had enough of those for the time being. Charlie let out a groan as they started up another slope. Castle moved to walk beside the boy. He placed a hand on Charlie's back, a sign of encouragement.

"Just one more hill," he said.

Charlie gave him a dubious look. "You said that seven hills ago."

"True enough," Castle conceded with a nod. "But eventually I'll be right."

They trudged up the slope and sure enough, glancing down from the crest of the hill, Castle spotted what looked like a trailer through the gaps in the foliage. Charlie let out a whoop, and dashed ahead. Zoe rolled her eyes, and jogged behind her brother. Castle let out a sigh, and rushed after them, grunting as fronds flew back and smacked him in the face as he followed behind the children. It was a little startling when he burst out into the clearing. Everything was suddenly so much brighter. He blinked his eyes and squinted, arching his neck to stare up at the darkening sky. Yeah, another storm was approaching.

"Come on, come on!" Charlie waved his hands in the air, urging Castle to move faster.

Following the children, Castle approached the camping trailer parked near the edge of the cliff. It wasn't the same one that he and Kate had stayed in; this one had the number 23 stenciled on the side. Castle approached the trailer first, Zoe and Charlie walking behind him. He grabbed the door latch, and tugged it, letting out a sigh when the springs popped and the door snapped open. Stepping back, Castle ushered the kids into the trailer, a large smile on his face as he followed behind them.

"Cool!" Charlie enthused as he glanced around at the luxurious appointments in the trailer.

Zoe ignored him, and went straight for the small refrigerator. She opened it, and let out a whimper of relief at the sight of bottled water and fruit cups. Castle leaned over her shoulder and snatched up one of the water bottles. Unscrewing the cap, he took a long gulp, quenching his parched throat. Zoe snatched up two water bottles and three fruit cups, before stepping around Castle to join her brother, who had already plopped down on one of the small sofas in the lounge portion of the trailer.

Castle took one more deep gulp of water, before turning towards the kitchenette, finding the radiophone located in the same location has in the trailer he and Kate had occupied. Cautiously, not wanting to get his hopes up, just in case he'd been wrong about the solar panels powering the trailers, Castle curled his fingers around the phone and slowly pulled it out of its cradle. He held it up to his ear, and let out a sigh when he heard a hum. The radiophone worked. Raising his hand, he pressed the red button that would connect him with the vehicle dispatch.

XXX

There was a tension to the air that foretold an approaching storm. Muldoon clenched his jaw as he glared up at the patches of darkening sky he could glimpse through the holes in the canopy above as the jeep zoomed down the service road. Another rainstorm would hamper their search and rescue mission. The plan was to go back to the tyrannosaur paddock and examine the scene again, this time with fresh eyes. With any luck, they'd be able to find some clues as to where Richard Castle and the children went.

The jeep bounced as Wallace steered them around the curve of the road. Muldoon adjusted his hat and glanced back at Beckett and Ramirez sitting in the backseat. The woman was a spitfire, and determined as hell to find her husband and the two kids with him. Nothing would stop her. He settled back into his seat, mind firmly set on the task at hand. Kate Beckett was a force to be reckoned with, and he respected and admired the way she'd stood up to Hammond. In the end, his choice hadn't been too difficult at all. He would do whatever he could to help Beckett.

The portable radio mounted on the dashboard crackled as it came to life.

"_Dispatch to Muldoon, come in_," came Hanson's voice.

_Thank God for battery powered radios_, Muldoon thought, and then reached forward to grab the device, pressing the flat gray button so he could reply. "Muldoon, here, what is it?"

"_We just received a call from Trailer 23—_"

"What!? I thought all the guests from up there had been evacuated," Muldoon interrupted.

"_They had_," Hanson replied. "_But nonetheless that's where it came from. The guy said his name was Castle, and that he had two kids with him_."

"Castle!?" Beckett leaned forward through the gap between the front seats. "Did he say 'Castle'!?"

Muldoon exchanged a look with her, before grabbing the radio and pulling it back to his mouth. "Repeat, again… did you say, 'Castle'?"

For several seconds all that came out of the small speaker on the radio was static. Muldoon watched Beckett grow increasingly frustrated at the lack of a reply. Then there was an electronic crackle and Hanson's voice came back on the line.

"_Yes_," he said. "_That's what he said. I've sent Jacobs and Trent out to pick them up_."

"It's him," Beckett smiled. "It's Castle. He's alive." She looked at him pleadingly. "Please, we've got to go get him."

Muldoon nodded, squeezing the button on the radio to ask, "What was the trailer number again?"

XXX

"They're on their way!" Castle declared as he returned the radiophone to its cradle. "I just spoke with dispatch, and they told me a jeep is on its way to pick us up."

Zoe and Charlie sat up from their reclined positioned on the sofas, the former wearing a more cautious smile than the latter. Castle understood Zoe's hesitance. Things hadn't exactly gone entirely well so far. But he preferred to be an optimist rather than a pessimist. Kate had told him once that his ability to see the bright side of things was one of the things she loved about him. Castle gave the kids a thumbs up, and then ducked back into the kitchenette, heading for the refrigerator, so he could grab himself one of those fruit cups.

After ten minutes, they heard the sounds of a vehicle approaching. Castle got up out of the armchair he'd been resting in, and went to the door. He flung it open and was greeted with the sight of a dark green SUV, with the Jurassic Park logo plastered on the sides, rolling up alongside the trailer. The passenger door opened and a man dressed in a khaki park security uniform stepped out. He was tall, with bulging biceps that the short sleeves of his uniform did little to hide.

"Richard Castle?" the man asked.

Castle bobbed his head, stepping down into the clearing, and gesturing for Zoe and Charlie to follow him. "Yes," he said. "And these are Zoe and Charlie Hastings."

"Just the three of you?" the man asked, arching his neck to look around.

"Yeah," Castle confirmed. "Just the three of us."

The man nodded, and then turned, grabbing the handle of the back door and pulling it open. "You better get in."

Castle put a hand on Charlie's shoulder and encouraged him forward. The boy darted over to the SUV, pausing for a moment to glance up at the man with the gun, before climbing into the backseat. Castle followed behind him, squeezing into the middle seat, as Zoe took the seat by the window. The security officer gave the clearing one finally sweep, before slamming the door shut and sliding back down into the passenger seat.

The driver glanced back at them. "Everyone buckle up," he said, before shifting the gear, and spinning the steering wheel. The windshield wipers clunked back and forth over the front window as droplets of rain fell from the above.

There was a clamor of thunder and the ground vibrated with it. Castle paused in mid-motion, half buckled. He frowned, and strained his ears. The clap of thunder sounded again, but this time when the impact tremor struck, a bellowing roar followed it. He closed his eyes, and groaned inwardly. _You've got to be kidding me_, he thought. Was his luck really that bad? It was like the damn thing was stalking them.

The driver had just finished turning the SUV around, and was in the process of shifting the vehicle out of reverse, when the tyrannosaur struck. The large female burst out of the foliage, knocking over a small tree. Zoe and Charlie screamed beside him, and Castle wrapped his arms around them, clutching them close, as the driver cursed and slammed his foot down on the pedal. The SUV careened forward, but the tyrannosaur was quicker. With a deafening roar, the T-Rex stormed forward and blocked their path of escape. The driver tried to swerve around her, but it was impossible.

The SUV jolted to a halt as the tyrannosaur brought its three clawed foot down on the hood, holding the car in place as its back wheels spun hopelessly useless in the mud. The driver shouted, and the security officer paled, checking his gun. Before they could react, the tyrannosaur opened its massive jaws and attacked. Zoe and Charlie screamed as razor sharp teeth shredded the roof of the SUV. The security officer cursed loudly, and shot blindly up into the roof, missing with each shot. His actions only infuriated the tyrannosaur. It roared and swerved its head to the right, tearing off a large portion of the roof and windshield with the move.

The driver panicked, he unbuckled his seatbelt, and bolted out of the car.

"No… don't!" Castle shouted, but it was too late.

The man stumbled out of the car and scrambled along the clearing. The tyrannosaur caught sight of the easy prey. She released the SUV and lunged forward, jaws open.

"Look away!" Castle cried, clutching Charlie and Zoe closer to him. It did little to save them from the horrific sounds of the man screaming and the sickening echoes of his bones crunching and snapping as the tyrannosaur snatched him up by his leg.

"Quickly, while she's distracted!" the security guy said, kicking open his door, and sliding out of the car. He opened the back door and ushered them out, all the while keeping eyes on the tyrannosaur feeding on the driver. He gestured back to the trailer, and they made a run for it. Castle held the children's hands as they ran. The security officer followed behind them.

"Inside. Quick now."

Castle yanked the door open, urging Charlie and Zoe through first before he followed. The security officer was last. He slammed the door shut behind them. Castle instructed the kids to hide in the bedroom. Zoe wanted to protest, but when she looked at the terrified face of her younger brother, she nodded. She took his hand and led him through the accordion connector and into the bedroom. Castle exchanged a worried glance with the security officer. His eyes flirted down the patch above the man's left breast pocket, embroidered with his name: TRENT.

"Get down!" he said, grabbing Castle's shoulder and shoving in down to the floor. Castle obeyed and watched as the man pulled open a panel by the door and flicked a number of switched. Immediately an array of floodlights flashed on outside.

"What are you doing!?" Castle hissed, stupefied by the man's actions.

"Maybe the lights will scare her off," Trent said with a shrug, clutching his rifle tightly in his hands. "Just… stay down."

Castle ignored his instructions, and peeked his head up to look outside. The rain was now coming down in thick sheets, and visibility was low. The floodlights only illuminated the immediate area around the trailer. Through the din of the downpour, Castle could just make out the bellowing roar of the tyrannosaur. His breath grew heavy and his heart pounded in his chest as he stared out the window. The tyrannosaur appeared, stepping forward into the light. She lowered her head, as if the bright light bothered her.

"See, it's working," Trent said as the tyrannosaur began to back away.

Thunder crackled above and then, all of a sudden, the light flickered and went out. The tyrannosaur stopped, confused by the sudden change of light. Castle gulped. He craned his neck to glance back at Zoe and Charlie, huddled together behind the bed in the other trailer. He turned back to Trent, who was standing there, blinking dumbly.

"What happened to the lights?" Castle asked.

"I don't know," he said. "The internal battery must have died."

They sat there in the dark, listening to the continuous drumming of the rain on the roof of the trailer. The large tyrannosaur stepped forward, stalking down alongside the bedroom section of the trailer, reaching the front with just three steps. It lowered its head and slowly nudged the side of the camper. They felt the trailer rock on its axis. Charlie whimpered and Zoe clutched him closer to her. Castle crouched down and maneuvered around to them.

Gesturing with his hand for them to crawl over. Charlie shook his head, too terrified to move, but Zoe nodded. She patted her brother's back and encouraged him forward. The two of them crawled on their hands and knees until they were through the accordion connector and with Castle once again. The tyrannosaur pulled back, cocking her head to the side as she sniffed at the side of the trailer, as if trying to determined what sort of animal it was. She let out a low growl, and then butted it, yet again, making the trailer rock.

Trent was now standing. From his expression, Castle could tell the man was frightened beyond belief. He kept muttering, "I don't want to die."

Suddenly the Rex rammed its snout through the window, sending shards of glass shattering across the mattress. Zoe exchanged a relieved look with Castle, thankful he'd encouraged her and her brother out of the bedroom. Trent backed away. The T-Rex roared. They all covered their ears with their hands. Charlie cried out in terror, burying his face in his sister's side. Castle placed his hand on the boy's back, trying to comfort him as he arched his back protectively over the children, trying to shield them.

"Under the table," Castle instructed, shoving the kids ahead of him. They scrambled under the small table in the kitchenette, mimicking the duck and cover move ingrained into school children in case of a disaster. He glanced back around to see Trent inching away. Castle saw what he was doing and shook his head. The man stared back, white with terror. His lips quivered and he mouthed an apology, before kicking the door open and jumping out into the rain.

XXX

He was a coward and he knew it. He had never signed up for this. When he'd applied for the security job for Jurassic Park, Trent had thought all he'd have to deal with was squabbling tourist. He had never imagined having to face down a seven ton Tyrannosaurus Rex. He'd just watched Jacobs get eaten, and now the monster was attacking the trailer. He knew he should stay and help the man and those two kids, but his cowardice got the better of him. All he could do was run.

_Its occupied right now_, he thought watching as the tyrannosaur stuck its snout through the back window near the bedroom portion of the trailer. _It's now or never_. He gazed out the window, looking out across the rainy field and seeing that the SUV was still intact. He could make it if he ran hard and fast. Jacobs had left the keys in the ignition. He inched towards the door. Richard Castle was ushering the children under the table. He looked up over his shoulder and they locked eyes for a moment. Trent could tell that the man knew what he was going to do.

Castle shook his head. Trent's lips quivered, and he mouthed an apology.

Kicking the door open, Trent jumped out into the rain and ran across the field. The rain was falling so hard that he became soaked in a matter of seconds. If it weren't for the fact that the tyrannosaur was occupied with the trailer, Trent would not have made it across the field to the SUV. He fumbled as he climbed into the car and slammed the door, which he found out was a bad idea.

The sound alerted the tyrannosaur to his presence, and it bellowed, stopping over to the SUV.

The shaking ground and the pouring rain made it hard for Trent to concentrate on starting the car. He found the keys still in the ignition, as he'd thought, and turned it. The engine moaned and then roared to life. Trent put the car in gear and looked up. The tyrannosaur brought its massive jaws down on the protective bumper bars, ripping them off in one slashing movement. Trent was momentarily stunned at the quickness of this before he pushed his foot down on the accelerator. The car did not go far. He moved about half a yard, before the tyrannosaur's three-toed foot came down on the vehicle's hood, and unlike earlier, this time it smashed the engine completely.

"Fuck!" Trent cursed.

The tyrannosaur brought it huge head down, and butted its snout against the side of the vehicle, shattering the windows. Trent was knocked over and hit the other door.

"Ah, Christ! Oh God… no."

The tyrannosaur caught his movement inside the vehicle, instantly jerking its head back and roaring. She raised his foot. Trent could see the powerful leg muscles. _Boom_! The car was hit and toppled over onto its side. _Boom_! The car was tossed into the air momentarily and landed on its shattered roof. Trent felt the full extent of each kick. He was bleeding from his head. He could taste blood in his mouth. He had bit his own tongue.

Then the kicking stopped. He looked out the smashed windows. The tyrannosaur was stepping around the overturned car, circling it like it would a wounded prey, preparing to go in for the kill. It growled, and pushed its snout on the car, trying to tip it back over. Trent prayed to God that it did not succeed. His prayer was not answered. With one final nudge, the car was successfully tipped back over onto its side. Trent was tossed inside the car like a gold fish in a plastic baggy.

The tyrannosaur stepped over to the front of the vehicle, bent down and peered into the car. Trent stared back, and then opened his mouth wide to scream as the tyrannosaur's lower jaw came through the windshield. Glass flew everywhere. Shards cut the tyrannosaur's leathery skin, but it paid no attention. The jaws clamped down on the roof. With a metallic creaking noise the remaining roof was torn off, ripping along the edge with sparks. Soon Trent felt the cold wet rain reach him. At first it was refreshing, until he focused back on the moment.

He summoned all his strength to get up. He practically bounced up into a run. Fear and adrenaline fueling him. He ran hard in-between the tyrannosaur's legs, hearing the roar of annoyance behind him. He looked wildly around and saw Castle waving him back. The teen girl was standing timidly behind him, watching the scene unfold with a horrified look on her face. However, Trent lapsed in concentration, thinking over what he should do. And that moment of indecision cost him.

The tyrannosaur had realized where he had gone, and turned around, roaring - lowering its jaws for the attack. Trent dashed forward, but was cut off by the large predator. The tyrannosaur swooped its head down and knocked into him. Trent was tossed up into the air, screaming bloody murder. He came hurdling down by the side of the cliff.

Prepared for this, the tyrannosaur was on top of him in moments, pinning him down with its three-toed foot. Trent looked up, terrified, unable to move. The tyrannosaur opened its jaws wide and she gave a magnificent roar. She leaned down, nostrils flaring as she sniffed him. Lifting her foot off him, she jabbed him with her snout, keeping him down. He rolled over onto his chest and attempted to crawl away. The large female tyrannosaur bent down and nipped at his leg. Trent howled in pain. The T-Rex's powerful jaws gripped his left leg tightly. She lifted her head, pulling him up off the muddy ground. Trent fought to retain consciousness through the blinding pain. But it was futile, his body was going into shock.

The tyrannosaur let out a low rumbling purr-like noise, and then tossed him up into the air. All he could do was scream as he flailed about, before tumbling down head first into the opened maw of death.

XXX

Zoe let out a cry of horror after witnessing the security officer's death, and Castle immediately pulled her to him, burying her head in his chest. He couldn't believe it. The man was supposed to be there to help them, but instead he'd ran, in a cowardly attempt to save himself. Clenching his jaw, Castle watched as the tyrannosaur finished off Trent, and turned its head back towards them. Castle gulped, wondering what was it this dinosaur had against them. It seemed obsessed, with a single-minded determination to kill them. The tyrannosaur roared loudly, tongue curling inside its mouth, and stormed towards them. The ground shook with each step of its approach. It lowered its head, and Castle let out a sharp gasp as he realized what it was going to do. He quickly shoved Zoe back under the table, where she wrapped her little brother up in a fierce hug.

"Hang on to something!" he shouted.

_Bang_! The tyrannosaur hit hard, and the trailer toppled over onto its side. The small flat screen attached to the wall buckled, but did not fall. The armchair, unlike the sofa and end table, wasn't bolted down to the floor, and slid back, ramming into Castle's leg, knocking him off balance. He groaned in pain. All around them glass shattered. Zoe and Charlie had been thrown out from underneath the table. The wild gusts of wind caused the opened door to flap violently against the side of the trailer, rain pouring through, soaking them.

"Look!" Zoe shouted.

Castle looked up and saw the tyrannosaur trying to shove its snout through the opened door. It was unsuccessful. She roared in fury as she pulled back, her bulky box-shaped head disappearing, allowing the rain to continue to soak them.

_Bang_! The tyrannosaur hit the trailer again; this time toppling the trailer onto its roof. Metal groaned and crunched. The armchair slid off him, and Castle groaned, placing a hand on his bad knee. He glanced up and stared at the twisted accordion connector. They were completely cut off from the second trailer. The tyrannosaur rammed into the trailer again. This time the flat screen buckled and fell in an array of sparks.

"Move!" Castle shouted to Zoe.

Zoe grabbed Charlie by his arm and managed to pull them out of the way before the loose contents of the kitchen drawers were able to cascade down on them as the trailer was twisted and rotated again. They were tossed around like ragdolls. The ceiling and floor switched places. Everything had turned upside down.

"The door!?" Charlie questioned.

Castle thought for a moment, before agreeing with a nod of his head. "Quickly."

Both Castle and Zoe jumped to their feet and threw themselves... against a closed door!

Castle cursed, his filter momentarily down as he got caught up in the situation.

"The doors jammed!" Zoe asserted.

"How did that happen?" Charlie demanded from behind them.

"When the tyrannosaur kicked us, the door must have swung closed as we turned around," Castle said, heaving in deep gulps of air, trying to calm himself. "Locking!"

"Great!" Zoe declared. "Just great!"

_Boom_. They heard an explosion. Yellow lights flashed through the shattered windows on their left. Castle looked out and saw that the tyrannosaur had temporarily withdrawn to attack the SUV. It growled and roared, pushing the car towards the side of the cliff. Roaring with rage, and with one more strike of her powerful legs, the tyrannosaur sent the vehicle careening towards the edge. They heard the explosion of the SUV as it fell off the side of the cliff.

Suddenly, with a dramatic jerk, the trailer started to move. Castle quickly caught his balance and jerked his head towards the front of the trailer. Through the window he could see the edge of the cliff.

"Oh shit...," he muttered.

Zoe stumbled as the next hit came, tumbling forward, landing hard against the shattered remains of the flat screen TV. She yelled out in pain. The tyrannosaur returned its attention to the trailer, ramming hard against them, sending them closer to the precipice. Castle bent down and helped Zoe up, seeing blood trickle down her arm.

"Here," Castle said, ripping off the bottom fringe of his shirt and tying it around her wound.

Zoe winced in pain as he tightened the knot. When Zoe was okay, Castle stepped around the fallen TV and reached out for Charlie. The young whimpered in terror, shaking all over. There was a momentary pause in the pounding, but it started up again. Intervals between the pushes were shorter.

Castle squeezed Charlie's shoulder, and then carefully made his way through the debris in the kitchenette. Zoe was looking at the twisted accordion connector. She turned and looked back at Castle.

"Can we get through?" Castle asked.

Zoe shook her head. "I doubt it," she said, with one hand pressed against her injured arm.

The trailer rocked again, and then started to tilt towards the front, the axis of balance shifting. Castle reached forward and grabbed the metal handles along the cabinets. Zoe grabbed the curtain, which was laying on what was now their floor. Charlie teetered and fell onto his back. He cried in fear as he started to slip backwards, debris bouncing down around him.

"Grab on to something!" Castle shouted down, his heart leaping into his throat. Zoe repeated his instruction, her voice wavering with worry for her little brother.

Charlie flung his arms out and grabbed the edge of the closest thing he could reach, latching onto the end table by the sofas. Thankfully it had been bolted down to the floor. And it held. Charlie looked back up at Castle and Zoe, who were at the other end of the trailer. Castle nodded to him. Charlie took a deep breath and with gritted teeth the boy heaved himself under the table's center bar. He was now wrapped around the metal pole that connected the end table to the floor, holding on for dear life.

_BANG_! It was the final kick that pushed them over the edge. The top of the trailer rammed against the face of the cliff, the glass covering the large window behind the sofa smashed and the tiny pieces cascaded down the side of the rocky cliff, along with all the books that had been in the shelf by the window. Castle clutched onto the cabinet handles. His feet dangled below. He dared not look down. However a strange thing seemed to happen after that last kick. The tyrannosaur stopped kicking the trailers. And to Castle, that seemed very odd.


	18. High-Wire Stunts

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 17 – High-Wire Stunts**

* * *

The wind swirled around in a tumult as the storm raged above, plummeting the island with a heavy downpour, only adding to the chaos. A bolt of lightning crackled nearby, striking a tree along the edge of the clearing, causing it to burst into flames. The tyrannosaur roared, stepping back from the bright light. The flames crackled and snapped, hissing in the rain. The tyrannosaur reared back away from it, fright or flight instincts taking over. It turned back to the intruder, and lowered its head, roaring one last warning at it before stomping off, away from the blazing light that frightened it.

XXX

Rick Castle lay flat on his stomach against the cabinets in the small kitchenette, his feet dangling. He grunted, trying to listen to what was going on outside. The tyrannosaur had stopped kicking the trailer, and roared. He wasn't positive, but it sounded like it had stomped off. At least that's what he hoped had happened.

The trailer shifted in the wind, creaking as it swayed. Castle gripped tighter. He looked up and saw Zoe dangling from the curtain, which had hung over the entrance to the accordion connector. The curtain was now flat on the floor, and Zoe was clutched onto the fabric with a tight grip. The trailer hit the cliff's edge, rumbling as it did so. Castle could hear Charlie whimpering down below. Another blast of wind came and the trailer rocked back and forth. Charlie started to cry. Poor kid, first the Ford Explorer in tree and now this.

The trailer bounced off the edge of the cliff again, this time followed by a sharp tearing sound. Castle craned his neck and glanced up at the accordion connector. The black synthetic material had ripped. A big gash could be seen, allowing some of the rain into the trailer.

"Shit."

Zoe looked up, following Castle's gaze, and saw it. She turned back and stared at Castle with big watery eyes.

"What is it!?" Charlie called from down below.

Castle hesitated for a moment, before deciding it was best to be honest with the boy. "The rubber accordion connecting us with the bedroom trailer is ripping," he shouted back. "I don't think it can hold up under the weight."

From outside he heard a crackle of thunder, and then he recognized a noise amongst the rain and thunder. It was a low, rumbling roar of an engine. A car. Castle allowed himself a small rueful grin. It had to be Kate. Hopefully she wouldn't be alone, and she could find a way to get them out of the trailer.

XXX

Muldoon gripped the side of the dashboard console as the jeep swerved along the curve in the road, nearly two wheeling the turn. He grunted as the car bounced back down on the ground. He glared over at the driver.

"Easy there, Wallace," he snapped. "We want to make it there in one piece."

"Sorry, sir," Wallace said, clenching his jaw and curling his fingers around the steering wheel. The windshield wipers cut back and forth over their vision as they made the final turn up the slope. Wallace gunned it. The jeep's engine roared in protest as it launched up the hill. They crested the slope in record time, the vehicle bouncing on its chassis as it landed hard on the flat road. With his foot pressed firmly against the accelerator, Wallace steered the jeep around the final turn.

_Trailer 23 should be just around this bend, _Muldoon thought. And sure enough, the moment they broke out of the jungle tunnel and into the clearing, they were there.

Beckett let out a cry of horror from the backseat, and before Wallace could brake, she was kicking the backdoor open and darting out into the rain and mud. Muldoon cursed, grabbing his SPAS-12 shotgun from the gun rack on the front dashboard, and followed after her. There were large three-toed footprints all over the muddy clearing, along with deep drag marks leading towards the cliff. Off to the left, a tree was still crackling with flames from a lightning strike, but it looked as if the heavy downpour would soon douse the fire. Beckett was already racing ahead, heedless of any danger.

"CASTLE!" she was shouting her husband's name. "CASTLE!"

Muldoon ran after her. Soon they were met with the sight of the smashed up trailer, half of which was dangling over the edge of the cliff, barely hanging on by the accordion connector. Muldoon cursed. He did not think that could hold forever.

Beckett ran forward, kicking up mud as she did. Muldoon followed her. "What… what the hell happened here?" she gasped out as they approached the edge of the cliff, tears striking down her face.

"Tyrannosaur, by the looks of it," Muldoon asserted, nodding his head towards the prints embedded in the mud.

"Where's the other car?" she asked, blinking her eyes in the rain, chest heaving as she tried to calm her breathing. "I thought dispatch said they sent someone up here."

Muldoon glanced around the clearing and spotted another track of drag marks. Through the thick rain he could just about make out the metal debris that was littered alongside the grooves in the mud. He shook his head. "Looks like the Rex got them."

"And Castle? What about him!?" Beckett demanded frantically, eyes fierce and desperate, on the verge of panic.

"I don't know," he sighed, and then glanced back at the trailer. "Maybe he's still in there."

Before he could grab her arm, Beckett was darting back towards the trailer. She ran over to the edge, where there was a large tear in the accordion connector. _God, she's a frustrating woman_, Muldoon thought as he followed her. _That husband of hers must be a saint_.

"CASTLE!" she cried, close to a sob. "CASTLE!"

There was a long pause, and someone answered. "Kate! Oh god, is that really you, Kate?"

Beckett burst into tears, and bobbed her head. "Yes, yes, it's me!" she shouted back. "Are you okay?"

There was another pause, and Muldoon watched the worry leak into Beckett's eyes. She looked frantic for news, and he was concerned she might do something stupid, so he stepped a little closer to her, just in case.

"I think I busted up my knee again," came Castle's voice. "And Zoe's got a cut on her arm. But you know, other than dangling off the edge of the cliff, I think we're fine."

"Zoe?"

"Yeah, I've got the kids with me," Castle shouted back. "So… do you think you could… um… I don't know, get us us the hell out of here."

"We've got to save them!" Beckett turned back to Muldoon, and startled at seeing how close he was. He raised his eyebrow at her, and she inclined her head in acknowledgment of his concern being justifiable.

Muldoon took a step back and stood in the rain for a moment, craning his neck to take in the scene as he mulled over what they could do. He turned back to Beckett and her anxious expression. He put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze, and tried to put as much confidence into his voice as he could muster.

"Don't worry, Detective. We will."

XXX

In the distance, thunder crackled. The rain continued to pour down hard, hitting the muddy ground in large droplets. Ramirez was trying to pull open the backdoor of the trailer, which was apparently locked from the inside. Wallace stood behind him, arms folded over his chest, shaking his head. Kate stood back by the jeep with Muldoon, and impatiently watched as the men tried to open the door by force. She shook her head.

_There must be another way_, she thought.

Her hair was dripping wet, and her clothes soaked. But she did not mind that, or the way Wallace kept glancing at her despite Muldoon's disapproving glare. She was keeping all her attention on thinking of a way to save Castle and the kids trapped in the trailer. She stamped her foot in the mud, irritated that she couldn't think of anything. Mud splashed onto Muldoon's pants. He glanced down, and shrugged.

"Take it easy, lass."

Kate turned and eyed him. "NO! _You_ take it easy!"

She turned her back to him and stared at the jeep, folding her arms across her chest, exasperated with the situation. She sighed, and looked back at Muldoon with an apologetic expression. She hadn't meant to snap at him. She was angry with the situation, not him. Kate watched as the rain cascaded down the windshield and over the hood. She stared long and hard, trying to remember something. And then it came to her. The grenades. She remembered Muldoon packing a box of grenades into the back of the jeep.

Obviously of her revelation, Muldoon stepped for to assist Wallace and Ramirez. Kate quickly dashed around to the side of the jeep, and opened the back door. She clambered up into the backseat, and stretched over the backrests to grab the box.

"Hey boys!" Kate hollered, running back to the trailer. "I think I've found an easier way to get the door open."

Wallace and Ramirez turned. Muldoon just nodded with a smile.

"And what would that be?" Wallace asked.

"Gum," Kate said, holding up the aluminum box.

"Gum?" Wallace echoed, scrunching his face up, unconvinced.

Kate nodded and opened the box. "Yes." Inside were five rows of sticks of gum-like adhesive, each besides a cylinder shaped grenades. "One should be enough, right?"

Muldoon nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty powerful stuff."

She handed the box back to a startled Wallace. "Be careful with that," she said with a smirk, enjoying his nervousness as he stepped back, Ramirez going with him.

"You sure about this, Detective?" Muldoon inquired.

Kate nodded, wiping her wet hair out of her face. "Yes. It's the only way."

"Okay," Muldoon inclined his head, and then backed away, heading for a safe distance.

Kate paused for a moment, standing in the rain, holding the adhesive gum and grenade. She was reconsidering her plan. The explosion might do more harm than good. And for a locked door, this plan was probably overkill. But she didn't care. Besides to rescue Castle and the kids, they needed to at least get into the trailer. If she could blow the door open, she could then get inside and find out what to do. She had to do it. _Fifteen seconds, remember_, she told herself as she attached the adhesive gum to the grenade. She took a deep breath and pulled the pin on the grenade.

_Fifteen_.

She threw it against the back door of the trailer.

_Thirteen_.

Kate turn to run, but stopped when she saw the gum slip off of the wet surface of the door.

_Eleven_.

She picked the gummed grenade up off of the ground, and quickly pressed it, as hard as she could, against the door.

_Eight_.

It stuck. She turned and shouted: "Duck!"

_Seven_.

She began to run away for cover.

_Six_.

She slipped and fell on her back.

_Five_. _Four_.

She got up to her feet.

_Three_.

She spun around and wondered if she was far enough.

_Two_.

She didn't think so.

_One_.

She jumped up into the air as a loud explosion billowed out behind her. The sound was almost deafening. The entire clearing was lit up in the flash of the explosion. Kate went flying through the air. The explosion propelled her further than her jump did. She landed near the jeep. Mud splattered everywhere. She was literally soaked in mud, but the instant she stood up the downpour of rain washed most of it off. She dashed forward, heedless of any other dangers, clambering through the wreckage caused by the explosion.

The sleeping quarters, except for the mattress and the bed sheets, were practically untouched. She moved forward slowly, observing as much as she could. If there was something here that could help save Castle, she wanted to find it. She made her way pass the closet, and reached the privacy curtain that was in front of the accordion connector. A light beam flashed in her face. She squinted and saw Muldoon coming in with a flashlight.

"Over here," she called.

Muldoon stepped over the debris and quickly made his way over to her, and she took the flashlight from him. She pulled the curtain open and saw the accordion connector. It was completely twisted, the metal gnarled and bent. The other trailer must have been flipped upside down. Her heart nearly jumped up into her throat at the thought of the terror Castle and the kids must have gone through during the attack. She heard a ripping noise and looked up. Her eyes widen when she saw the gaping hole above her head. The rubber fabric was ripping. The first trailer would surely plummet down the side of the cliff. Kate turned back to Muldoon.

"Hold on to me," she said. "I want to look over the edge."

"Okay."

Muldoon wrapped his arms around her waist as she bent over the edge of the accordion connector to look down into the front trailer. She saw Castle first. He was barely holding onto the metal handles along the cabinets in the kitchenette. A teenage girl was hanging from the opposite curtain.

Castle moaned and looked up. He smiled when he saw her face. Kate couldn't help but smile back. God, it seemed like forever since she'd last seen him smile, when in actuality it had only been twenty-four hours.

"Kate!" he said with glee, his lips spreading wide in an ecstatic smile.

The teenage girl jerked her head up and let out a nervous laugh of joy.

"Where's the boy?" Kate asked, trying to focus and not let her overjoyed emotions at finally seeing her husband again interfere with the rescue.

"Under that end table," Castle said, tilting his head to indicated the lounge.

Kate craned her neck and squinted. She could barely make out the small figure wrapped around the metal pillar attached to the floor. She turned back to Castle and noticed some blood trickling down the side of his face. Her throat clenched with worry.

"Are you okay?" she asked, the desperate concern unconcealed.

Castle nodded. "Yes," he said, correctly guessing she'd noticed the blood on his head. "It's just a scratch. Kate, I'm fine."

"Okay, we'll get you out of there," she said. "Hold on."

"Not going anywhere," he shouted back, grinning up at her. "I'll just hang out, you know… until you come back."

Kate pursed her lips and suppressed a grin. Leave it to Castle, even in the face of danger he couldn't help but crack jokes. She flashed him a look and he nodded, as they spoke so much with just their eyes, something they'd always been able to do.

"Rick… I love you," she said, giving him a loving look.

He flashed her wink. "To quote Han Solo, 'I know'," came his cheeky replied.

"Just… hold on, okay?" she said. "I'll be right back." She leaned back and then arched her neck to glance at Muldoon, giving him a nod of her head. He grunted, and tugged her back up into the bedroom trailer. "Rope," she said. "We need rope."

XXX

Zoe was hanging tightly onto the curtain, wondering when Kate—Castle's wife—would reappear. She was beginning to become uncomfortable with the knowledge that her life depended on whether this curtain could hold her weight. And she had a feeling that it couldn't. She looked over at Castle for reassurance, but noticed that he was having enough trouble of his own with the cabinet handles. The strain could snap the cabinet doors off their hinges at any moment.

She heard a snap, and she jerked her head up to see that the curtain's rings were breaking under the pressure. They probably could not hold on long enough for her to be save. She began kicking her feet around, seeing if she could find a foothold that would allow her to ease the burden placed on the curtain to support all her weight. But she couldn't. She heard another snap. She looked up, seeing the rings breaking one by one.

"Zoe!" Castle yelled, stretching out an arm for her.

She gritted her teeth and reach for him, but he was too far away. The final ring snapped and she fell. Screaming and disorientated, Zoe flung her arms around, reaching for something that she could use to halt her fall. Anything to grab on to would be welcomed. Then she felt something metal, and smooth. She gripped it with her left hand, and her body flung hard against something with a bang. Damn her wrist hurt.

"Zoe!" Charlie sob from below. "Zoe!"

"I'm alright," she called back, grunting as she pulled herself up, realizing she'd grabbed onto the refrigerator door.

Castle was hanging above her. He twisted his torso around to glance down. "Zoe, are you okay? I can try and climb down to help—"

"No," she hissed through gritted teeth, interrupting him, using all her strength to reach her free hand up and grope around for the other handle. "I'm okay. I… I think I've got a handle on things."

Castle gave her a dubious look, but nodded, thankfully deciding not to argue the point with her. Zoe knew that he'd hurt his bad knee, and she didn't want him attempting to do something heroic only to then get injured while doing so. She adjusted her grip on the door handles, hoping they could support her weight better than the curtain had, because right below her was the vacant window and a long fall.

XXX

"God, what's taking him so long!"

Kate was pacing, waiting for Wallace to return with the rope from the jeep. Tears almost came gushing out of her eyes, but she bit her lip and worked at controlling herself, relying on her NYPD disaster training. She had to focus. She couldn't let her worry overwhelm her. The present concern was on Castle and the kids. They had to save them.

Hearing a high-pitched scream, Kate pushed herself over the edge to look down, and almost immediately lost her footing. She began to fall, but then Muldoon caught her by her foot. She blinked, and pushed back her hair. She looked down in time to see the teen grab onto the refrigerator's door handle. She sighed in relief. Castle glanced up at her and nodded, reassuring her that they were all okay.

"Everything alright?" Muldoon called from behind her.

"Yeah," she said. "Pull me back up."

Muldoon gripped her legs tightly as he heaved her back up through the accordion connector. As soon as her feet touched the floor, the trailers jerked dangerously, and they heard another rip. Looking up, they saw that the gaping hole on the roof of the accordion had become wider. They were running out of time.

Wallace came clambering back into the trailer with a coil of rope. "I don't know if it's long enough," he said, handing it to Muldoon.

"It'll have to do," the game warden asserted.

Kate insisted that she climb down. Muldoon opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off, pointing out that she was lighter than any of them, so it would logically be easier to maneuver her up and down through the second trailer. Muldoon reluctantly agreed. She had also insisted that she didn't need the rope to be tied around her waist. The rope was going to be used to pull those trapped out of the trailer. Muldoon knew Beckett well enough by now to know that it was pointless to argue with her. So he agreed.

"Okay," Muldoon said, squeezing her shoulder. "Ready?"

She nodded, steeling up her nerves. "As ready as ever."

She gave them all a weak smile, as all the men gripped the end of the rope in their hands. Kate walked over to the accordion connecter, and inspected the gaping hole one last time. She gripped her end of the rope tightly and slid down through the small opening, legs first.

Kate slipped down slightly before Muldoon and the two other men stopped the rope's slack. She looked around, blinking in the darkness, gripping the rope tightly. She waited for her eyes to adjust before yelling up to the men to give her more slack. She extended her legs out to steady herself against the wall. She maneuvered around until she found something to stand on. She slowly placed her feet on the in-curve of the table opposite to Castle.

Castle opened his eyes and saw her. He smiled.

"God, I want to kiss you so badly right now."

She smiled. "Me too, babe."

She reached over and paused. She could feel the wind blowing the trailer back and forth. _At least the rain had lessened_, she thought. She stretched her free arm out and grasped the railing along the ceiling.

"Get the kids out first," Castle grunted, flexing his arms.

"Castle—"

"Just… save them, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded, wishing she could reach out and touch him.

Castle locked eyes with her, and nodded, reading her mind. "Later."

"Later," Kate echoed in promise, letting her eyes fill with love as she gazed at him. Reluctantly pulling her away, Kate then slid around down the trailer, mindful of where she put her feet. She looked over at the girl. "Hold on," she said softly.

Kate found it easier to climb using the railing along the ceiling of the overturned trailer. She twisted her body around, using one hand to steady the swaying teen. She was grabbing the refrigerator's door handle tightly. Kate checked on the girl's wound, seeing the crimson blood leak down her arm.

"You okay—?"

"Zoe," the girl gasped out. "My name's Zoe."

"Alright, Zoe," Kate nodded. "I'm Kate, and I'm going to get you out of here." She tied the rope around Zoe's waist. The girl groaned as Kate tightened the knot. "To tight?"

"It's okay," Zoe asserted.

"You're a brave girl, Zoe," Kate said. "You can let go now. The game warden and some of his men are holding onto the rope." Kate shifted herself and yelled up at Muldoon. "Okay, here's the girl."

Zoe looked down and nodded. She let go of the refrigerator door, letting out a yelp as she dropped slightly before the men above adjusted to the shift in weight. Zoe gripped the rope with her hands as they pulled her up. In no time she reached the accordion connector and was pulled through. The rope came back down a minute after she disappeared from Kate's view. Kate gripped the rope with her free hand and glanced at Castle.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Just get Charlie. Poor kid. He's probably frightened half to death."

"Alright. I'll be back for you, promise," she said.

"Don't you worry," he forced a grin, letting his eyes drop to her bare legs. "I'll just hang out here and admire the view."

Kate rolled her eyes, but smiled, grateful for his ability to always lighten the mood, no matter how desperate or dire the situation. It was one of the things she loved most about him. Flashing Castle one last loving look, Kate craned her neck and peered down the length of the trailer.

"Charlie," she called. "Hang on, I'm coming."

The boy looked up, he had a cut on his forehead, but beside that he appeared fine.

Kate looked around, trying to find something to grab onto. She wasn't that far from the refrigerator. She figured if she swung across the trailer, with a little help from the guys up above, and enough slack, she would arrive on the back of the chair a couple of feet below her.

"Guys!" she called up. "I'm going to need a little bit of slack for this one."

"Okay," came Muldoon's reply.

"On three," Kate called up.

She gripped the rope tightly with both hands, her feet teetering on the last of the ceiling rails. She would only have one shot at this, and it better work. She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes as she exhaled.

"One... two... _three_!"

She swung across the gap between the trailer walls, and fell with the slack she had been given by the guys back up in the sleeping quarters of the trailer. Just as she was about to land her feet on the chair, the wind picked up.

"Oh, you've got to kidding me!" she said with clenched teeth.

The trailer swung slightly back and forth in the wind, and then with a loud banging noise it rammed back against the side of the cliff. Kate grunted as she kept her balance on the back of the chair. Above her, she heard Castle curse. She immediately glanced up, heart pounding in her chest as she watched in horror as the cabinet doors swung open. The hinges snapped off and her husband went careening down the length of the trailer.

"NO!" she cried, clutching the rope with one hand and reaching out with the other as Castle sailed down past her. "Castle!"

He collided against the back of the sofa. It jerked violently and for a moment she was afraid it would tumble down towards the gaping hole at the end of the trailer. But it held. Thank God, it held. Castle lay sprawled out on his back, blinking his eyes and groaning in pain.

"Castle!?" she cried down to him.

He groaned, shaking his head, and looked up at her. Slowly, he raised his right hand and gave her a thumps up.

"Just… just stay still, okay?" she shouted down. "Don't move!"

He nodded. Kate was forced to pull her eyes away from Castle when she heard Charlie cry out for help. She looked over and saw that the boy was losing his grip. She got down on her knees, and stretched her arm out across the trailer.

"Grab my hand!" she shouted.

Charlie literally jumped slightly up as his grip slipped, but his hand was stretched out just far enough for her to reach. Kate leaned forward, grabbing the rope with her free hand, and with a swift move she had Charlie's hand grasped in hers. Charlie was falling and his weight pulled her over the side of the chair. She yelled as she toppled over, grabbing the rope with one hand. She hissed out a curse as she felt a burning sensation against her palm. Rope burn. Charlie swung below her, his left hand holding tightly onto hers. His legs swung just above the nonexistent window. He looked up, his young eyes filled with fear. He had almost fallen to his death.

Kate heaved as she pulled him up. It took a while, but she managed to pull them both back up onto the back of the chair. She turned her head down.

"Climb over me," she instructed, and grabbed the rope firmly with both her hands.

"Um... okay."

Charlie did his best, fumbling as he crawled up her and clung to her back. His breath was hot against her neck and she could feel him trembling with fear. He looped his arms around her neck and grunted as he heaved himself up over her shoulders.

"Good," Kate assured him. "Now grab the rope, and hold on."

"Okay," Charlie mumbled. He took a deep breath, and grabbed the rope with both hands. He looked down and watched as Kate stretched one arm out to grab onto the railing along the ceiling, keeping herself steady as she looped the remaining rope around his waist. She secured it in a knot, and then swung her hand over to join her other on the railing, hanging there with her arms extended above her head.

"Alright, Muldoon, now the boy!" she called.

Within a matter of seconds the rope began to move and Charlie was hoisted up. She watched as he was dragged back through the twisted accordion connector. Kate couldn't help but sigh with relief when the rope came back down to her. She gripped it with her right hand and swung back across. Kate shouted up, instructing them to lower her. Using her feet, she was able to maneuver her slim body through the gap between the end table and shelves on the opposite side of the trailer.

She reached Castle in just under a minute. He was breathing heavily, and still looked slightly out of it. The fall probably winded him. She arched her neck around and glanced down through the broken window and listened to the eerie howl of the wind. This was going to be difficult. Kate braced herself against a shelf along side wall of the trailer, its contents long since lost to the oblivion. She craned her neck and looked over at Castle.

"Castle," she said softly, reaching out with one hand to caress the side of his face. He blinked and his blue eyes gazed up at her. She smiled down at him, seeing how much her touch reassured him. "It's okay, I'm here."

As she spoke she could feel a strong breeze come up through the broken window.

"Ah shit… not again," she muttered softly to herself.

The wind blew harder this time, making it hard for Kate to keep her balance, but with the rope in her hands it was no problem. She kept her eyes on Castle. The sofa swayed, threatening to drop, but thankfully the bolts holding it to the floor of the trailer held. As the wind died down, the trailer creaked and groaned around them. She looked up and watched as the gap in the accordion fabric became wider. The wind picked up abruptly and the trailer swung back, ramming against the side of the rocky cliff.

The sofa buckled violently, and this time the bolts couldn't hold. The left bolts snapped and the sofa tilted on its axis. Kate couldn't hold back a cry as she watched Castle slide away. He fumbled around, and gripped the arm of the sofa, managing to halt his fall. His legs were dangling outside the window and he let out an unmanly scream, not that she blamed him.

Kate clenched her teeth, trying to think of what to do. The shelf beneath her feet creaked, protesting under the strain. She jerked her head up and saw the accordion was giving way. She gripped the rope tightly. She bent her legs and pushed herself towards the end table Charlie had been wrapped around earlier. With one hand she reached out for the pole-bar. She was able to grab it easily.

Castle was kicking his feet until he was able to find purchase on the windowsill. He looked up at her. She could see the terror in his eyes. He'd almost fallen to his death. Her own heart squeezed tightly in her chest at the thought alone. Kate steadied herself on the end table, breathing through her nostrils, and stretched her arm out for Castle. He looked up at her, uncertain.

"Just… damn it, Castle… grab my hand."

He complied, and using all her strength, her legs locked around the pole-bar for leverage, Kate heaved Castle up. She couldn't pull him all the way, he weighed more than her, but she was able to pull him up just enough so that he could grab onto the end table. And he did so, not a moment too soon, as the bolts holding the sofa to the floor of the trailer finally gave way. The sofa swung around, slamming into the shelf Kate had used for support earlier, before careening through the shattered window and down the rocky cliff.

"Phew… that was close," Castle let out a low chuckle. He grunted, and grimaced as he adjusted his hold on the end table. The metal bar groaned, and he looked up at Kate. "We should probably get going now."

Kate nodded, and grabbed the rope. She tossed the slack portion out into the empty space below them, arching her back to loop it around Castle's torso, securing it with several tight knots.

He grinned. "Ooh… bondage," he waggled his eyebrows as he looked up at her. "Kinky."

She suppressed an eye roll and gritted out, in a familiar tone, "Not now, Castle."

Once Castle was secured, Kate called up to Muldoon. The slack went away, and Castle began to rise up, slowly. She waited until he was about even with her before shouting up to Muldoon, letting him know that she'd be joining Castle on the rope. Carefully, she looped her arms around her husband's neck and shoulders, shifting her legs out from around the end table, and wrapping them securely around his waist. He let out a low moan as her body aligned perfectly with his. Kate shivered as he draped on arm around her, pulling her as close to him as possible. He kicked his foot and soon they were dangling in the center the trailer. After a second or two, Kate let out a gasp and glanced up at Castle's feigned expression of innocence.

"Castle, I don't think now is quite the right time to cop a feel," she asserted.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I was just trying to grab ahold of something to help steady—" His explanation trailed off when he noticed her expression.

"Okay, that definitely sounded better in my head."

"Babe, I love you, but I think you should stop before you dig yourself any deeper."

Castle nodded. "Right."

Kate pursed her lips, and gazed up at him. "I'm glad you're alright."

"So am I."

She wasted no more time, and arched her neck up towards him. Castle read her actions correctly and tilted his head down to meet hers. She closed her eyes and moaned as their mouths finally met. Another gust of wind rolled across the cliff. From above, Muldoon shouted a warning. The trailer gave one last buckle, and then the accordion connector snapped. With a loud tearing noise, the front trailer fell. Kate closed his eyes and pressed herself closer to Castle, melding their mouths together in a searing kiss as the world around them blurred. The roaring crash of the trailer tumbled past them, and through whatever luck they still had, they sailed through it all, unmolested, clutching on to one another in a lover's embrace.

Pulling back for air, Kate gasped and blinked her eyes as the cool breeze struck her face. Squeezed herself tighter to Castle's broad frame, her legs like a vice around his waist, and glanced down, watching as the trailer hit the rocky bottom, shattering upon impact. The rope swayed slightly in the wind, and they bounced gently against the cliff face as they were gradually hoisted upwards.


	19. Power Core

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 18 – Power Core**

* * *

Castle sat in a reclined position on one of the cots in the emergency bunker, his leg propped up on some pillows. His knee throbbed in pain. It felt like tiny pinpricks from millions of little daggers stabbing, all at once, at his knee joint. He had definitely aggravated his bum knee, and he was not happy about it. When they arrived at the bunker, Muldoon and Wallace had to help him down the stairs, much to his chagrin. Kate was worried, of course, and had immediately found him some ibuprofen, for the pain, but he was still waiting for it to kick in.

"Well, at least you didn't break it again," Kate had attempted to soothe him, giving him a light kiss, curling her fingers along his arm as she leaned into him, resting her forehead against his. "Just… take it easy. Okay? Mr. Arnold will get the power back on soon, and we'll be able to call the mainland for help."

That was thirty minutes ago.

Zoe and Charlie, still numb from the latest horror they had experienced, had thankfully managed to fall asleep, cuddled together in one of the other cots. Across the room, the game warden Robert Muldoon was speaking in hushed voices with an older man Kate had informed him was John Hammond, CEO of InGen and owner of Jurassic Park. The two drivers, Wallace and Ramirez, had been sent out to check on Mr. Arnold, but neither had radioed back or returned. Castle inhaled slowly, letting the air fill his lungs, as his eyes followed his wife as she paced back and forth, wringing her hands impatiently.

"Something's happened," she muttered, eyes staring at the floor as she continued her circuit. "Something went wrong."

Across the room, Muldoon raised his voice, and Castle heard him say something along the lines of, "You're a bloody fool!" The game warden stalked off, cracking open a bottled water and taking a long gulp. Hammond, looking miffed, hobbled over towards Castle, pausing momentarily to warily eye Kate, before leaning on his cane and stepping over to join Castle, easing down onto the cot alongside him.

"This is just a delay, that's all it is. All major theme parks have had delays," the old man said, in what Castle assumed was supposed to be a reassuring tone of voice. "When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked. Nothing."

"Hammond…," Kate growled, ceasing her pacing and crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at the entrepreneur, clearly irritated with him. Oh, yeah… Castle recognized that look. And he was more than happy not to be on the receiving end of it.

"But, Mr. Hammond," Castle interjected before she could say anything more. "If the Indiana Jones ride breaks down, the giant cobra doesn't eat the tourist."

Hammond's mouth dropped, but the man was unable to form a proper comeback to that. He closed his mouth and shrugged his shoulders, leaning back against the cement wall of the bunker. He twirled his cane around in his hand, staring at the amber head.

Letting out an exasperated huff, Kate went back to her pacing. Castle tilted his head, squinting his eyes as he studied the amber topper on Hammond's cane. There appeared to be a mosquito trapped inside the amber. He vaguely remembered something from the introductory video when they had first arrived, about how Jurassic Park scientists had used the blood from such mosquitos, mixing it with that of a frog and other reptiles, to build DNA models, which eventually allowed them to clone dinosaurs.

"I can't wait anymore," Kate asserted after a long interval of silence. "Something went wrong." She pursed her lips as her brow narrowed in thought. "I'm going to go get the power back on."

Castle startled. He glanced up at her in shock. "Wait… Kate…"

"No, Castle… I'm sorry, but I've have to do this," she interrupted, giving him an apologetic look.

"You can't just stroll down the road, you know," Muldoon said, having overheard.

"Now, Robert," Hammond spoke up, heaving himself back up to his feet. "Let's not be too hasty. Mr. Arnold's only been gone—" He jerked his head down to glance at his wristwatch.

When he didn't continue, Muldoon nodded. "Exactly." He turned to Kate, giving her a hard stare. "I'm going with you."

Kate bobbed her head. "Okay."

Castle stared at Kate in disbelief and incredulity. Moving his leg off the pillows, he winced as he swung both legs off the side of the cot. Grunting, he pushed himself back up to his feet. A searing pain shot up through his right leg, and he nearly lost his balance. Kate saw him, and rushed forward, grabbing his arm and shoulder, attempting to gently nudge him back down on the cot.

"Kate… no, you can't do this," he hissed out through gritted teeth, trying desperately to ignore the throbbing in his knee. "We just reunited after yet another harrowing experience. I… I can't… please, oh God, Kate… don't force me to watch you leave again. I couldn't bare it if something happened to you. I'm not strong enough, Kate."

Her expression softened and she reached up to cup the side of his face in her palm. "Oh, Castle," she sighed, her eyes already watery from the emotion his words conjured up. "You are, babe. You _are_. You're the strongest and bravest man I've ever known, Rick. When I think about all the hell you went through—a lot of my own making—just to prove yourself to me, to prove that you loved me… trust me, you are strong enough."

"Kate…," he keened, baring his very soul to her.

She closed her eyes, and placed her forehead against his, breathing the same air as him. "I know, Castle… I know," she acknowledged, running her fingertips down the side of his face in an attempt to soothe him as only she could. She pressed a tender kiss to his lips, before leaning back and looking him in the eye. "But you know me. You do. And you know that I can't just sit around and do nothing. Mr. Arnold has been gone for a while, so have Ramirez and Wallace. Something's happened. And like it or not, I'm one of the few people still capable of doing something about it."

"I understand, Kate, I do… it's just… I love you _so much_," he confided, breath hitching as he struggled against the sob that wanted out. He lowered his head, letting out a shaking breath as he clung to her, unashamed of his neediness. "I wish I could go with you," he sighed, shoulder slumping in defeat. "I'm still not used to _not_ being by your side. I… I don't know if I'll ever get use to it."

Kate swallowed, and he watched the enticing motion of her throat as it bobbed. She bit her lower lip and glanced up at him with large eyes. "The feelings mutual, Rick," she answered, voice thick with emotion. She leaned forward and kissed soundly, lingering long enough to make the embrace slightly awkward to witness for the others in the room. Backing away, she ran her hand along his forehead, brushing back the flop of hair that had fallen down across his brow. "However, I have to do this."

"I know," he sighed with acceptance. "Just… be careful. Okay? I won't be there to watch your back."

She inclined her head in agreement, but didn't vocalize the vow. Pushing up on her toes, she kissed him again. She dropped back down to her feet and gave reassuring squeeze, before pulling back and joining Muldoon over by a steel cabinet. Castle sighed, and watched as Kate and the game warden exchanged some words.

The clang of metal echoed off the concrete walls of the bunker as Muldoon opened the cabinet, revealing an impressive array of weaponry inside. He removed a customized shotgun, and collected a box of ammo. Kate grabbed a thigh holster, strapping it around her leg. She grabbed a pistol out of the armory and holstered it, looking at ease with a gun strapped to her thigh. And hot. Despite his misgivings about her venture, Castle could never stop admiring just how sexy his wife was.

The crash of boxes from the other side of the room had Castle pulling his eyes away from the delightful image of his wife wearing short shorts, exposing her mile-long legs, with a gun holster strapped to her thigh, towards a fumbling Mr. Hammond. The old man appeared to be searching around for something, and had inadvertently caused a small avalanche of small boxes and rolled up papers. Grimacing with each step, Castle limped over to join him.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"Blueprints," Hammond said, snatching up a roll of paper, examining it, before tossing it aside and reaching for another. "Somewhere here there should be some blueprints to the power core."

Castle scrunched up his face as he stretched up to glance at the shelves, pursing his lips as he ignored the throbbing in his knee. He really wished the damn Advil would kick in already. If it had, he would have no problem accompanying Kate to the maintenance bunker and helping her reboot the electrical breakers. Though, to be honest, his knowledge in such things was rather limited.

"Aha!" Hammond exclaimed, locating the blueprints. He pulled a large rolled up sheet of paper out, slapping it down on the table. He quickly spread it out, his hand hovering over the detailed designs as if attempting to discern their meaning. Grunting, Castle snatched up what looked like a power startup manual, plopping it down on the table beside the blueprints, making the old man jump.

Finished equipping themselves, Kate and Muldoon strolled over to join them at the table. Castle placed one hand long the surface, leaning against the table to help take some weight off his bad knee. Kate glanced at him worriedly, before turning to gaze down at the schematics spread out along the table.

"Now, this isn't like switching on the kitchen light," Hammond said, glancing up at Kate. "But I think I can follow this and talk you through it."

"Right," Kate bobbed her head, eyes flirting up and to the left. Castle followed her gaze, noticing the radios mounted in sockets along one row on the shelf behind him. "Castle?"

Nodding his head, not needing her to say more than his name, he twisted his torso around and snatched up two of the radios, tossing her one, along with a headset, as he turned the other one on. "Turning it to channel two," he told her.

"Okay," she said, turning the frequency dial, and connecting the black radio beside the flashlight clipped onto her holster belt.

"Right, good," Hammond spoke up, looking from Castle to Kate. "But you know, my dear, I should really be the one to go."

Baffled, Kate stared back at him. "Why?"

Hammond shifted uncomfortable under her stare. "Well, because I'm a man, and you're a woman."

"Really!?" Castle scoffed, completely flabbergasted by the man's stupidity.

"Unbelievable," Muldoon muttered, shaking his head in what could only be called disappointment.

Kate rolled her eyes.

"Come on, let's go," Muldoon said, nudging Kate's arm with his elbow and turning around to stalk towards the stairs that led back up to the surface.

Kate hesitated for moment, gazing hard at Hammond, before walking around the table, tugging Castle down by the collar and ramming her mouth against his. He dropped a hand down, low on her back, keeping her close for as long as she would allow. Breaking away for air, she pressed one more quick kiss to his lips, before directing a steely gaze at Hammond.

"We'll discuss sexism in survival situations when I get back," she declared with a fierce glare, and then turned back to Castle, her eyes filling with nothing but love. "I _will_ be back."

He clenched his jaw tightly, struggling to keep his emotions in check, and nodded. "Be careful," he managed to croak out, before pulling her back in for another kiss.

Behind them Muldoon cleared his throat. "Beckett, let's go."

Kate dropped back down to her feet and glanced over her shoulder at the game warden, before gazing back up at Castle.

He gestured to the manual on the table. "I'll talk you through it, step by step," he assured her.

"You better," she managed a small quirk of her lips, before her eyes grew serious. She gazed up at him with longing, bringing a hand up to caress the side of his face, her fingers lingering along his earlobe. "I love you, Rick."

"I love you, too," he reciprocated, and unable to resist, pulled her in for another kiss, lingering as long as time would allow.

XXX

Kate followed Muldoon out of the bunker. They took some short steps away from the door, before pausing to recheck their equipment. The main compound felt different now. Just the other day, the place had been abuzz with activity. Now it was silent. It belonged more to the jungle than civilization. Muldoon cocked his shotgun, and raised it up in front of him, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the tree line. Kate waited behind him, inhaling quick breaths as her heart began to pound wildly within her chest. Suddenly she was having doubts.

She fumbled with the headset, untangling the cord, before placing the headphones over her head and adjusting the microphone until it was as close to her mouth as required. Kate reached down and pressed the flat button on top of the radio. "Okay, I'm on channel two," she said.

"_Reading you loud and clear, Kate_," Castle's voice crackled over the radio.

Muldoon adjusted his hat and glanced back at her. "Alright, stick to my heels."

He raised his SPAS-12 shotgun into a ready position, and then started off down the jungle path, bypassing the parked jeep. Kate followed behind him, wide eyes flicking back and forth, alert for any hidden dangers. She blinked as they emerged into the now empty Jurassic Boulevard. Kate remembered when she and Castle had first arrived and the place had been so crowded, buzzing with activity, crammed with people coming and going, everyone blissfully unaware of the looming tragedy.

Muldoon led the way up the promenade, pausing only to check for anything suspicious. Kate glanced inside the shops and coffees, seeing the evidence of the hasty evacuation. Kate noticed the claw machine with the stuffed dinosaurs that Castle had been so eager to try his hand at had been knocked over, the red and green plush dinosaurs spilling out of the cracked display. Inside some of the shops, display stands were toppled over, there contents scattered across the floors. Up on her right, an umbrella vendor's cart had been tipped over onto its side. Umbrellas spread out across the walkway in a dazzling array of colors. Plates, still full of once delicious meals, littered the tabletop at the Jurassic Café. Flies buzzed above the uneaten food.

A light chirp caused them both to freeze, and Muldoon adjusted his hold on his shotgun. Kate rested a hand on the butt of her pistol, ready to draw her weapon if need be. Another chirp followed, along with a series of tiny hoots and tearing noises. Muldoon looked back at her and gestured with his hand. They moved forward, and ducked down behind an immaculately cut hedge that ran along side the T-Rex Grill. Peeking over the top of the hedge, Kate spied three compys fighting over some food scraps. Another one appeared, darting out from the inside of the empty restaurant. It jumped up onto another table, the plates clattering under its little feet as it buried its face into a half eaten cheeseburger.

"Compys," Muldoon hissed in disgust, scowling. "Bloody pests."

He shook his head, and stood back up. The compys paused in their devouring of the half-eaten meals, cocking their little heads at the intruders. One snapped its jaws in alarm and bounced down off the table, scampering away. But the others simply stared at them with only mild interest. When they walked away, Kate looked back to see that the compys had continued with their meals undeterred.

"_How's everything going out there?_" Castle's voice crackled over the comm.

Kate nearly sighed with relief at hearing his voice. She reached down and pressed the button to respond. "Pretty quiet… so far. Just compys munching on some half-eaten cheeseburgers."

"_And now I want a cheeseburger_," Castle replied with a teasing lilt in his voice. "_You think you can get me one?_"

"I'll see what I can do," Kate answered with a smirk.

Muldoon raised his hand and pointed to the right of the Visitor Center complex, indicating what appeared to be a service path that disappeared into a pack of dense foliage. The path was well marked, lined with small spear-shaped ferns. Kate kept her hand on her holstered gun as she followed behind a confident Muldoon. After a minute or two, they emerge out into a slightly more open area. Kate blinked as she raised one hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she gazed up at the large structure looming before them.

It almost resembled a miniature prison complex, with tall walls and fences, with a guard tower on each end. However, to her dismay, Kate saw that there was a hole in the electric fence. The metal coils were twisted and gnarled, as if gnawed and slashed at. The hole it created was large enough for several animals to slip through.

"Shit," she murmured. "Oh God."

Muldoon narrowed his eyes, as he squatted down to study three sets of footprints leading away from the pen and into the jungle surrounding the clearing. "The shutdown must have turned off all the fences," he muttered, almost as if he was speaking to himself. He removed his hat and brushed his hair back. "Goddamn it! Even Nedry knew better than to mess with the raptor fence." Clenching his jaw, Muldoon put his hat back on. He stood back up, oblivious to the panic rising up in Kate. "C'mon on, maintenance bunker is this way." He jerked his head toward a break in the foliage.

Kate's heart pounded profoundly within her chest, and her breath came in short little gasps, but she still managed to follow Muldoon without collapsing into a full-blown panic attack. They hiked back into the jungle, following a narrow trail that twist and curved around the foliage. Kate kept her eyes wide, glancing around anxiously. The Tyrannosaurus Rex had been terrifying, yes… but at least it was big enough that she could see it. The velociraptors were an entire different beast. Small, compact, and highly intelligent.

Squinting through the palms and ferns, Kate caught sight of a gray square shaped structure almost a football field's length away… a good hundred yards. "I can see the shed from here!" she hissed out. "We can make it if we run."

Muldoon almost seemed out of it, his focus not really on her. His gaze was centered off to the left, his head cocked like he had heard something.

"No. We can't," he said in a calm voice, almost too calm.

"Why not?"

"Because… we're being hunted," Muldoon replied. Kate gasped, her eyes frantically darting around. "From the bushes, straight ahead."

Kate turned, very slowly, to face the bushes Muldoon had indicated. All she could see was green ferns and fronds, vines gently swaying in the breeze. She focused on steadying her breathing, and looked again. Yes. She could see it. It was very faint, like a shifting of the light, but she could see it. A shadow seemed to move in the bush, rustling the leaves. Kate could just make out the top of the head, curved and predatory, a large yellow eye staring unblinkingly out at them.

"It's all right," Muldoon assured in his damn calm voice.

"Like hell it is!" Kate snapped.

Muldoon raised his SPAS-12 shotgun, slowly bringing it up into the proper position. "Run," he instructed softly. "Towards the bunker." He shifted his shoulders, getting a better aim. "I've got her."

Kate did not like the plan, but they hardly had time to argue about it. So, despite her doubts, she began to slowly move down the path, towards the bunker. Muldoon followed behind her, keeping his gun trained on the bushes. The shadow moved too, keeping an even pace with them. Her heart was pounding so hard within her chest that it felt like it would burst out and run away.

"Go," Muldoon said.

"Wha—?"

"Damn it, Kate. Run… go now! Bloody run!" Muldoon raised his voice.

Not needing any more encouragement, Kate turned to run, but immediately bumped into a large fallen trunk. She grunted in pain, cursing as she slammed her hands against the rough surface of the log, irritated with herself, before shoving off and vaulting over. Kate hit the ground on a run, pumping her legs as hard as she could. Her nostrils flared as her lungs burned with the exertion. She allowed her fear of the raptors to seep in, the fear helping to fuel her adrenalin.

Breaking into a sprint, Kate launched herself over any obstacles in her way. She ducked down to avoid a low handing branch and grasped another one to swing herself across a small ditch, landing in a small puddle, water splashing up around her shins. Stretching up, she grabbed a vine to swing herself around in a semi-circle, angling herself up for a dead run. Her breath caught at the sight of the maintenance bunker. Digging her feet in, she ran with all her might, pushing the silver chain-linked fence gate open and rushing for the door. Kate reached the door, blasted through it, slammed it behind her, and was immediately enveloped in darkness.

XXX

Zoe Hastings startled awake. She blinked her eyes, and looked around, confused, not entirely sure where she was. And then it all came rushing back: The tyrannosaur attacking the Explorer, Mike abandoning then, Mr. Castle helping Charlie out of the tree, the river raft ride, the waterfall, and the trailers. She fought back a sob of terror, reminding herself that she and her brother were now safe. Zoe looked down at her brother, sleeping contentedly beside her on the cot. Slowly, as not to wake Charlie, she untangled herself from around him, and sat up on the edge of the bed. Scrubbing her hands over her face, she looked around at the gray concrete walls of the bunker.

She spied Mr. Castle and an older man, with a white beard and balding head, talking around a table. Checking on Charlie once again, satisfied that he was sleeping soundly, Zoe stood up, and quietly walked over to join Castle and the other man by the table. They were squabbling in hushed voices, probably afraid they'd wake her and Charlie up.

"What's going on?" she asked, startling both adults.

Castle exchanged a look with the older man, before turning back to her. "Kate and Muldoon are going to try and get the power back on."

Zoe nodded, absorbing the news. She stepped forward and glanced down at the table. Several sheets of blueprints were spread out across the surface. Castle had a manual book opened to a page that looked like it had instructions on how to reengage a power system. She slowly walked around the table until she was on the same side as the two adults.

"Well, you've got one thing wrong," she said casually.

"Oh, and what's that?" snipped Mr. Hammond, glowering disapprovingly down at her.

"These blueprints…"

"Yes?" Castle encouraged her after she trailed off.

"You've got them upside down."

Suddenly the radio sitting on the table beside Castle crackled to life, and Beckett's voice came through the speaker. "_I'm in._"

XXX

Kate stood in the darkness for a moment, chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. The leftover surgical scar along her side throbbed dully, and she winced, feeling it pull as she twisted her torso around to grab the flashlight off her belt. It had been a while since the scar had done that, then again, Kate hadn't really run like that in a while either. She brushed her hair back from her face with one hand, while flicking the flashlight on with the other. She pressed the button on the radio and informed Castle and Hammond that she'd made it to the maintenance bunker.

"Mr. Arnold?" she called down the dark stairwell, shining her flashlight down. "Mr. Arnold!?"

The radio crackled and Castle's voice sounded in her ear. "_Great. Good. Okay… let's see, ahead of you should be a metal stairway. Go down it._"

"Okay," she breathed out, pressing down hard on the button to leave her end of the line open. She grabbed the metal railing along the side and descended down into the darkness. The walls are solid concrete, occasionally marked with stenciled letters and numbers, the meaning of which she couldn't even hope to begin to decipher. Tilting her head up, she swept the beam of light across the ceiling, seeing a maze of pipes, ducts, and electrical wiring.

"_Right, okay… um… after about twenty or thirty feet, you should come to a T junction_," came Castle's voice. "_Take a left_."

Kate directed the flashlight's beam ahead of her, and continued down the steps, moving carefully. She squinted her eyes, trying to read the lettering along the side of the walls. It suddenly occurred to her that it was giving her depth measurements. Picking up her pace, Kate reached then stenciled _25_ and stepped down onto a landing that broke off into two separate directions. This was the T junction Castle had told her back. She looked both ways, and then took the left, as he'd instructed.

XXX

Zoe stood next to Mr. Castle, listening to him give his wife directions over the radio. He seemed sure of himself, but as she looked down at the blueprints, brow furrowing, she couldn't help but second guess him. Her father—_real father_—had been an engineer, and he'd often bring work home. He would let her study the blueprints and diagrams he brought with him. He even took the time to explain all the various designs and details. Both her dad and mom had been thrilled when she'd shown an interest in such things, and for a while, she had considered following in her father's footsteps and becoming an engineer.

"Mr. Castle?" she said, unable to keep the timid sound out of her voice.

"Yes, Zoe?" Castle questioned, raising his eyebrows as he looked down at her, the radio still clutched tightly in his hand.

"Um… I was just thinking," she said, gaining more confidence from the encouraging look in Castle's eyes. "You should just have her follow the main cable."

"Quiet girl," Hammond huffed, nudging her back. "We know how to read a schematic." He bent down to examine the blueprints. "Tell her to take the next right."

XXX

Kate kept walking, nervous as hell. She brought the back of her hand up to wipe the beads of sweat from her brow. Letting out a hot breath, she took the next right, finding a stairway. She looked around. It was awfully dark down there. Shining the flashlight down the stairway, she squinted, attempting to see the bottom. Sighing, she gripped the railing and cautiously continued forward.

"Going down the stairs," she informed Castle and Hammond.

The metal stairs clanged underfoot as she climbed down. The deeper she went into the bunker, the colder it got. A shiver ran up her spine. Whether it was from fear or the damp chill in the air, she couldn't say. She reached the bottom landing and followed the turn.

"Okay," she said, using the flashlight to illuminate the room ahead. It was filled with black pipes and air ducts, and a mass of cables. Directing the light up, she came to stop and cursed. "Damn it. Dead end!"

XXX

Castle frowned, glancing down at the blueprints, and then at the walkie-talkie in his hand. "Really!?"

"_Yes, Castle… I wouldn't be making this up_," came Kate's annoyed voice over the speaker. He gulped. She was probably also most definitely rolling her eyes.

"Damn… okay… um, wait a minute, wait a minute," he ran his fingers along the schematic, trying to retrace the path he'd led her down. "Ah, I see, there should have been a right back there somewhere—"

Suddenly Zoe was shaving Hammond out her way and was snatching the radio out his hand and holding it up to her. Hammond cursed and glowered at the teen, but she ignored him, instead focusing on the blueprints spread out in front of them.

"Mrs. Castle, it's Zoe," she said into the radio. "Look above you. There should be a large bundle of cables and pipes all leading in the same direction."

There was a pause while they waited for Kate to respond. "_Yeah, I see it_."

"Follow that," Zoe said.

XXX

Kate had to suppress a chuckle when Zoe took the radio away from Castle and gave her directions. Shining the flashlight up, Kate spotted the cables and pipes the teen had mentioned. They were, indeed, all bundled together, and heading off in the same direction. Using her flashlight to guide her through the darkness, Kate followed the bundle.

"Following the piping," she informed them. And she did, basically retracing her steps. "It goes back up the stairs."

"_Yeah, sorry about that,_" came Castle's voice. "_These blueprints are difficult to read_."

"Or maybe you just needed someone who understood what they were looking at," Kate replied with a smirk.

"_Yeah, and probably that,_" Castle replied, and she was grateful to hear the bemused tone in his voice.

Kate climbed up the stairs, breathing steadily. When she reached the top landing, she immediately looked up and located the bundle of cables. She followed them to the left. There was a small ramp up ahead. Kate slowly walked up the ramp, finding herself on a catwalk. She narrowed her eyes, sweeping the beam of light across the room, and down below. It was a fairly decent distance, far enough that if she did fall, she'd probably break her neck. Kate gripped the railing tighter and quickly moved forward.

"Mr. Arnold!?" she called out, hoping that the operations manager would be down here. "Wallace? Ramirez?" Her voice echoed off the concrete walls back to her. Nothing. She sighed and continued on. "Castle, I'm getting a bad feeling about this."

"_Just relax, Kate. You've got this,_" Castle soothed, his voice having a calming effect on her nerves. "_You're almost there. There should be a metal gate up ahead. Zoe says that the cables will end in a big, gray box_." He paused. "_I think that would be the breaker box_."

"Yeah, I think so too," Kate replied.

The metal clang of her feet against the metal grating of the catwalk echoed through the room, and Kate hurried along, shining her flashlight straight ahead. She spotted the gate, and just on the other side saw the gray box.

"Okay, I think I see it," Kate said into the radio, stepping up to the gate, and yanking the handle bar door, pulling it open. She stepped through and across to the big gray box. She shined the flashlight along the surface, seeing a yellow triangle with single black lightning bolt, and a white and black sign with the words 'DANGER' and 'HIGH VOLTAGE' written across it. She located the latch, and gave it a twist, tugging the lid back to reveal a vast array of breakers and switches inside.

"Yes, definitely the breakers," Kate confirmed.

"_Okay, good… let me just read over this one more time to make sure I have everything right_," Castle said hurriedly.

"Take your time," Kate muttered. "I'm not going anywhere."

She stood there for a few minutes, taking in her surroundings, looking for any signs of Arnold and the others. But she found none. And something was very wrong with that. She turned back to the breaker box, scanning it with her eyes, wanting to be ready to jump into action the moment Castle had his act together.

"_Alright, I think I got it now_," came his voice, once again a balm to her anxious nerves. "_You can't just throw the main switch by hand, you have to pump up the primer handle to give it a charge first. Three times should do it. It… um… it's a large, flat, gray—_"

Her eyes flirted across the breaker box, and she spotted a large, flat, gray handle. "I see it." Kate clipped the flashlight back onto her belt, facing it upward to illuminate the knobs and switches in front of her. Curling her hand under the lever, Kate gritted her teeth and pushed. She was a little stunned at how difficult it was to move, almost like it was stuck, but she managed to pump it three times. Just above the gray handle, a small white indicator flipped over from 'DISCHARGED to 'CHARGED'. Kate slammed the lever back into position.

"It's charged."

"_Right!_" Castle enthused, and she could just picture him cheering her on. "_Now, under the words 'contact position' there should be a round green button that says 'push to close'_."

"Yeah, I see it," Kate bent over, skimming her thumb lightly over the green button.

"_Push it_."

Kate pushed it with the pad of her thumb. A little green light above the words 'CONTACT POSITION' lit up, and other lights started coming on all over the panel. A warning buzzer sounded three times before shutting off. Kate slowly stepped back, scanning the breaker box as it came to life. _Did I do it?_ She thought. _Is the power back on_? Kate watched as a column of twelve white indicator lights flashed on along the side of the control panel. Squinting, she read the words beside each light. Each was labeled with a different area of the park.

"_Now, Detective Beckett, the red buttons turn on the individual park systems_," it was Hammond this time. "_Switch them on_."

She gave a nod, and stepped over to the left side of the breaker box. Each button was shielded with a plastic covering. She had to flip it up to reach the button. As Kate pushed the buttons, they lit up a warm red. She silently mouthed the name of each system as she went down the list. Through the headset speakers, she could hear Hammond and Castle talking about what to do once the power was restored. She had about half a dozen left, so she tuned them out, focusing on her task. In a matter of moments, she reached the last one, flipping the plastic covering off it, and using her pointer finger to press down on the button. It immediately turned a red.

Kate stood up and watched as the banks of fluorescent lights above her head in the maintenance bunker come on, one by one. The lights were coming on in rows, illuminating the corridor and ramp. Then they started flicking on over the catwalk, coming closer and closer to her. Finally, the lights directly above her flickered on. She stood there, and smiled, clapping her hands together in triumph.

"Mr. Hammond, I think we're back in business!" she declared, feeling elated at the achievement.

She heard an odd noise behind her, and she frowned. It didn't sound like part of the electrical system kicking on. Turning around, she narrowed her eyes, leaning in to examine a grouping of cables along the side of the breaker box. Tentatively, Kate reached out to touch the cable. Her hand was merely inches away, when a ferocious snarling head of a velociraptor burst out from between the gaps in the cables. Kate let out a scream and jumped back as it snapped at her, displaying its razor sharp teeth when it growled.

Kate rushed back as the raptor's claws slashed through the air. She drew her gun from the holster, and took aim. The raptor wiggled out from behind the cables, and lunged at her. Kate squeezed the trigger, but at the last minute the raptor jerked back, its legs getting stuck on the tangle of wires and cables it had been hiding behind. It snarled and snorted, snapping its jaws in anger. Kate stumbled back, gazing in terror at the beast as it struggled to free itself. It was bigger than she expected, intensely muscled, with the smooth design of a predator. Kate let out a curse, and turned to move, but her foot caught on something and she fell back against the pipes running up the wall on the opposite side of the little room. The impact jarred her, and she released her hold on the pistol.

"Fuck!" she cursed as the gun bounced off the edge of the raised platform and clattered down the concrete floor underneath.

Slamming her fist against the metal floor, Kate shoved herself up to her feet, and moved for the gate. The raptor untangled itself from the cables and gave chase. Kate rushed through the gate, turning quickly to slam it shut behind her. The raptor let out a snarled roar, and before she could reach for the handle and lock it, the raptor banged against the gate door, undeterred. The impact sent Kate tumbling back. She landed on the metal grating with a heavy thud, and she groaned in pain, feeling the right side of her hip throb with pain. Rolling around on to her back, Kate arched her neck up to see the raptor pushing the gate open.

"Oh no you don't!" she hissed through gritted teeth, raising her legs and kicking the door back shut, holding it as the raptor continued to push against the gate. It snarled and snapped, hissing, as it collide against the gate, but Kate somehow managed to hold it back. With one more powerful kick, Kate heard the door click closed, and she jumped up, grabbing the handle and twisting it until she heard the satisfying sound of the tumblers locking into place.

Stepping back, she released a breath and watched as the raptor stalked back in disappointment, snapping its jaws and snarling at her. Kate bumped into the piping going up alongside the catwalk, and suddenly something warm and wet fell onto her shoulder. Tensing, she flicked her eyes down to see the hand of an African American.

"Mr. Arnold?" she questioned, sighing with relief. She placed her hand on top of his and turned around to see him, but as she moved, his hand slid off her shoulder, to reveal just a severed arm, the flesh jagged and gnawed on the stumped end. Kate couldn't help but let out a startled cry. It was one thing to examine the corpse of a murder victim, but quite another thing to have body parts fall down on top of you. She quickly moved around, letting the bloody severed arm fall to the floor.

In her sudden panic, Kate didn't realize that she had moved right back near the gate. The raptor came for her again, snarling and hissing. It rammed against the gate, and latched on to it with its claws. Kate watched in horror as it began to tear the mesh away, slashing and clawing its way through. She immediately turned and ran, as fast as she could, back across the catwalk and down the ramp into the now illuminated corridor. The flashlight dropped at one point, and skidded across the metal grating with a loud clang. Behind her the raptor roared loudly, the pitch high and terrifying.

Kate continued to run, the headset dangling askew around her neck. The crash of the metal gate echoed, and Kate sucked in a deep breath, pumping her legs harder as she picked up the pace, not even risking a glance behind. She reached the stairs, hitting them hard, as she flew up, gripping the railings for support as she heaved herself up. The raptor must have been right behind her, because she could hear the clicking, clashing, and clanging of its claws as it scrambled up.

"Run… run… run!" Kate hissed out like a mantra, using all her strength to pull herself forward. She thought of Castle, and his smiling and loving face. She was not going to leave him. Not now. Not like this.

Arching her neck up, Kate spied the door. Letting out a moan of joy, she launched herself through it, hurling herself outside into the bright sunlight. Squinting her eyes in the harsh light of the day, Kate slammed the maintenance door closed behind her just as the raptor's snarling head snapped at her from the top of the stairs. With the door firmly shut, Kate hurried away, pushing through the chain-link fence, and shutting that gate too. Only then did she collapse from sheer exhaustion.

"_KATE! KATE!_" Castle's desperate voice resounded out from the speakers on the headset.

Gasping for air, Kate sluggishly reached down and readjusted the device back around her head. "I… I'm here," she replied in-between pants.  
"What the hell happened?" he asked. "Did you find Mr. Arnold?"

"Oh… yeah… I found him," Kate stammered, heaving in deep breaths. "And the raptor that killed him."

"_Raptor!_" hooted Castle in alarm. "_Where? In the bunker?_"

"It's okay… it's okay," she soothed, putting a hand over her hammering heart. "I got out. Slammed the door in its fucking face. I'm good." Kate scrubbed her hands up and down her face, feeling herself shiver all over. God, that had been terrifying. She closed her eyes and breathed through her nose. "Alright, Castle, what next?"

XXX

Robert Muldoon crept slowly through the jungle foliage, tracking his prey. He ducked his head under some low hanging vines, crouching down to study a set of prints in the mud. Dipping his fingers through the indented grooves and curves, he pursed his lips and smiled. He hoped Kate Beckett was doing well. She had a fire behind her eyes, and he had no doubt she was more than capable of completely any task set before her. Flicking his eyes back up, Muldoon continued on, stalking through a hollowed out log underneath a fallen tree. Up ahead he heard a rustling sound.

Craning his neck up, Muldoon could just barely make out the glimpse of the dark brown hide of the velociraptor as it moved behind the thick bushes, staying camouflaged just enough to deny him a decent shot. Seeing the delaying ploy as an opportunity, Muldoon took the time to extend the back handle of the shotgun, clicking it into place. He was methodical with his movements, only doing what was necessary.

Taking deep and steady breath, Muldoon slid into position behind a lichen covered tree. Back pressed up against the trunk, he twisted his torso to glimpse around, spying the raptor moving behind the brush. He moved out from around the tree, stepping quickly over to the next place of cover. A large branch had splintered, cracking off from the mother tree above, providing him with a perfect level to rest the barrel of his shotgun on.

Taking his hat off, Muldoon set it on the branch and prepared to take aim. He narrowed his eyes, glaring straight ahead. Ten yards ahead, a snake slithered across a tree branch, past what looks like the large iris of a yellow flower.

The flower blinked.

It was the eye of the raptor.

"Gotcha," Muldoon saw it. He raised his weapon, squaring his shoulders as he took aim.

But instead of running, like a spooked deer, the raptor slowly rose up out of the brush, revealing itself to Muldoon, hissing at him, displaying rows of razor sharp teeth. The corners of Muldoon's mouth twitched up into a smile. He drew a bead on the animal, lining up his target. His finger tensed on the trigger, but he hesitated. Something wasn't right. This was too easy. His smile vanished, both eyes growing wide as a terrible thought swept through his mind.

And that's when he spotted it, the movement just out of the corner of his vision. Glancing sideways, Muldoon was just in time to witness the big female push through the shrubbery off to his left. She bared her teeth at him in a snarl, looking down at him with a wicked smile of razor sharp teeth. He'd been right. They should have put her down the moment she killed Jeffrey, the Gatekeeper, when they'd transferred her from the kennels and into the pen with the rest of the bloody monsters. _Damn _Hammond, Muldoon thought. He curled his fingers tighter around the shotgun, readying himself for a fight.

"Clever girl."

But before he could fully turn and face the new target, the raptor was launching out of the foliage with a high-pitched roar, pouncing on him in a flash. The gun blasted, but wildly, missing its mark. Muldoon let out a cry of pain as the raptor's claw slashed through his midsection. He groaned, barely able to make a whimpering sound as he collapsed to his knees. The raptor pounced on top of him, twisting the claw into his gut, attacking him, all shredding teeth and tearing claw. His viscera poured out of him, and Muldoon let out a strangled scream, choking on his own blood, as the raptor began to eat him alive.

Off in the bushes, the other raptor merely watched lazily, impassive and indifferent.

XXX

Castle clenched his jaw and tried to control his temper as he turned back to the stubborn park owner. This was madness. "Now is not the time for this, Mr. Hammond," he said in as calm a voice as he could stomach, though he still didn't do a good job of hiding his contempt for the man.

There was no doubt in his mind that Arnold, Wallace, Ramirez, and any others that had been out there with the operations manager, were dead. And there was a good chance that Muldoon was dead as well. Kate hadn't heard from him since they'd separated. And after what she went through in the maintenance bunker, Castle could stand it no longer. He wanted to be with his wife. Through whatever else was thrown at them on this damn island, they'd face it together.

"I don't think its safe to leave the bunker," Hammond protested, leaning heavily on his cane as he stepped around the table, heading for a cushioned chair.

Castle held up the manual he'd used to talk Kate through the start up process. "We have got the power back on, but we still need to reboot the system. It makes sense that we all stick together," he explained, hoping the man could be reasonable for just one minute. "Now, Kate's going to meet us at the Visitor Center, and from there we'll head to the control room and reboot the phones."

"I'll stay here, thank you very much," Hammond said. "I'll let you play hero."

Castle closed his eyes and turned his back on the man, pinching the bridge of his nose. He exhaled slowly through his nostrils. "Fine, be that way," he said. "Stay here."

"I will," Hammond declared, crossing his arms and raising his nose like the smug elitist he was.

Ignoring him, Castle stalked over to the armory. He grabbed one of the shotguns, collecting some ammo too. He turned and moved over to the sleeping cots. The Advil had finally kicked in, and the throbbing in his knee was now dulled. Charlie was rubbing his eyes, yawning, and stretching, still waking up. Zoe had gathered some supplies and shoved them into a backpack she'd found in the storage shelf on the opposite wall. Castle handed her the manual. Zoe took it and added it to the other supplies in the backpack.

"You ready?" Castle asked.

After looking at her little brother, Zoe turned back to him nodded. "Yes."

"Okay, let's go."

"What about Mr. Hammond?" Charlie asked, pushing up off the cot to follow Castle and big sister towards the stairway.

Castle cast one last look at the contemptuous man, before looking away. "He's staying."


	20. Eye to Eye

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 19 – Eye To Eye**

* * *

"Cake!" Charlie cried out with glee, immediately darting towards a buffet table filled with delicious and decadent treats.

Zoe suppressed an eye roll as she watched her little brother delight in all the sweets. But she couldn't really blame him. They had both been through a lot over the last forty-eight hours. If anyone deserved some indulgence, it was them. She picked up the pace to catch up with Charlie, but slowed down when she noticed that Mr. Castle wasn't following. Zoe arched her neck over her shoulder and looked back at him.

"Mr. Castle?" she questioned.

He blinked, as if coming out of a daze. "Sorry, Zoe, I was just thinking of Kate."

"Kate… your wife?"

"Yes," he said, adjusting the shotgun in his hands. "I'm worried about her. She needs me. I can feel it in my gut." He knitted his eyebrows together as he stared off into space. "Look, you two should be safe in here for a while. You're both probably starving. Relax and get something to eat, and I'll be back as fast as I can."

Zoe stared up at him, hesitant. "Okay," she eventually inclined her head, not willing to argue with him that they—her and Charlie—needed him just as much as Mrs. Castle. Maybe even a little more. Castle's wife seemed pretty badass. From what little she'd seen, Zoe was certain Kate could take care of herself.

Castle nodded, and put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeezed. He looked up at Charlie and gave him a little wave, before shifting his hold on the shotgun and making for the exit.

"I'll be right back… I promise," he called back over his shoulder before disappearing through the doors.

Zoe let out a sigh. She didn't like it, but she trusted Rick Castle. Besides her mother, and some of her teachers at school, Mr. Castle had been one of the most honest adults she'd ever met. After one last fleeting glance towards the exit, Zoe turned around and walked over to join her brother at the dessert table. There was some green Jell-O. Her personal favorite. And the chocolate covered strawberries looked appealing. Her stomach growled. Maybe she'd have some of those.

XXX

Castle stepped out of the Visitor Center and stood on the top patio, narrowing his eyes as he looked down at the empty Jurassic Boulevard. He could still vividly recall their first day on the island, and how packed and full of activity it had been. He sighed, carding his fingers through his unruly hair, and gingerly walked down the concrete steps, still mindful of his right knee. The Advil he'd taken in the emergency bunker had finally started to kick in, but he thought it was best to err on the side of caution. Beckett would want him to take it easy and not put too much strain on his bad knee. This was one of the few times he was willing to actually listen to his wife's advice.

He gripped the shotgun tightly in his hands as he reached the bottom landing, eyes darting from side to side, not exactly sure where he should go. Besides the compys scampering about the abandoned restaurants and scavenging the leftovers, there wasn't really that much action. It should have been comforting. To Castle it was anything but. Stopping before a visitor guidepost, Castle scanned the tourist friendly park map. He remembered hearing Muldoon tell Beckett that the maintenance bunker was on the other side of the main compound. He studied the display, figuring out where the emergency bunker was located in relation to the Visitor Center. And with that calculated, he was able to estimate the approximate direction he should head to meet up with Beckett and Muldoon.

Castle doubled-timed it back to the Visitor Center, curving to the right. He smiled to himself when he saw the entrance of a service pathway that disappeared into a pack of dense foliage. "Bingo," he allowed himself a brief moment of triumph, before stepping to it, eager to reunite with his wife. His heart was still beating with frantic worry over the knowledge she'd encountered a velociraptor. She had said she was fine over the radio, but Castle wouldn't fully believe it until he saw her with his own eyes.

Fortunately the service pathway was well marked. He wouldn't get lost, that's for sure. Small ferns shaped like little swords stuck out from along the edge of the trail. The tree canopy provided some shade from the noon sun. Castle could have sworn he saw something in rustle the shrubs and brush off to his left, but when he peered into the greenery, he didn't see a thing. Shrugging it off as just the wind, and his overactive imagination, Castle continued on.

Eventually, he emerged out of the foliage and into a clearing. A large complex, with turrets and electric fences stood before him. There was a buzz in the air, and he stared up at the wired fence. Beckett had turned the power back on, so a current of electricity was once again flowing through the silver wires surrounding the pen. There was a flash of sparks, and the crackle of electric energy, from the middle of the fence. He narrowed his eyes, seeing the jagged ends of wires that had been torn apart to create a whole big enough for an animal to squeeze through. He stood there, mouth gaping, as he stared up at the hole in the fence, letting the implications settle in his mind.

"Castle! Castle!"

Spinning in place, he nearly shouted out in joy at the sight of Beckett rushing out of the jungle on the far side of the clearing. She screamed his name again, the relief heavy in her voice as she bounded towards him with a quick stride, thanks to her long legs. Everything else fell away, and it was just them. Heedless of the potential dangers lurking nearby, focusing entirely on his beloved wife, Castle dropped the shotgun and raced for her.

"Rick," Beckett let out a strangled sob of joy, springing up and into his open arms.

Unprepared for being pounced on, Castle stumbled back, his bad knee protesting under the strain. Thankfully his own forward momentum balanced out their colliding embrace, and he was able to remain standing as his wife wrapped her arms around him. She sobbed his name again, before ramming her mouth against his. He hummed in approval, letting his hands drop to her waist, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

Beckett broke away with a gasp, her chest heaving. "He's dead. Muldoon. I… I saw…," she gulped down a lungful of air, grabbing a hold of his biceps and clenching her eyes shut as she tried to center herself. "I saw what was left of him. The… the raptors got to him."

"Shit."

She opened her eyes and looked at him, wild and frantic. "Castle, where are the kids!?"

"They're at the Visitor Center," he said, running a trembling hand down the side of her face, just needing to touch her. "They were pretty hungry, so I left them in the cafeteria."

Beckett nodded, and canted into him, almost listlessly. He hugged her again, planting a kiss on the top of her head. They stayed like that for a couple more seconds. Beckett brushed her hair back and stepped around him, bending down to pick the shotgun up off the ground.

"It's just the two raptors, right?" Castle asked as he followed behind her. "You're sure the third one's contained?"

Kate bobbed her head as she checked over the shotgun with her assessing eyes. "Yes," she affirmed, before adding, almost worriedly. "Unless they've figured out how to open doors."

XXX

Zoe led the way through a door at the back of the cafeteria and entered the kitchen. She reached over and switched on the lights, smiling as several fluorescent light panels above their heads flickered on. Zoe couldn't help but smile at the simple fact that the power was back on. They may not entirely be out of the woods yet, but at least they had that. Several stainless steel tables stood in a row along the center of the room. Two the left she saw a big stove with lots of burners, and beyond that, she spied what looked like a series of large walk-in refrigerators. Charlie followed behind her, scratching at his shoulder and glancing around at everything.

"You think they got cookies and cream?" he asked.

"I don't know," Zoe replied, opening the closest refrigerator in her search for ice cream. A pale mist billowed out in the humid air as she opened the large metal door and peeked inside.

"If not, chocolate mint will do," Charlie graciously offered.

Zoe rolled her eyes as he continued listing off practically ever ice cream flavor known to man, saying each would be acceptable, though, of course, cookie and cream was preferable. She glanced around the inside of the large refrigerator. She found all kinds of stuff, cartons of milk, piles of vegetables, and a stack of T-bone steaks, fish—but no ice cream. Closing the door with a hiss, she glanced back at Charlie.

"You sure you wanted ice cream?"

"I told you, didn't I?" Charlie huffed, giving her an exasperated expression while sticking his lower lip out in an exaggerated pout.

She smirked, and bumped him playfully in the shoulder as she moved past him to the next refrigerator. He grumbled and rubbed his shoulder, but followed behind her nonetheless, eager for his ice cream. This one was much larger than the first. The stainless steel door was huge, with a wide horizontal handle. Though, before she could tug the door open, she had to yank a little pin out of the handle to unlock it. Gritting her teeth, curling her fingers around the handle, and then pulled the open. The cool air hissed out as it made contact with the kitchen. Zoe shivered as the chill leaked out around her.

"Zoe…," Charlie murmured, tugging on her sleeve. "Did you hear—?

"Wait a minute?" she said, waving off his hand, annoyed. "I'm looking for your ice cream." She narrowed her eyes and looked into the huge walk-in freezer. Hooks hung from the ceiling, dangling on clinking chains. One held what looked like a skinned pig. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Zoe!" Charlie hissed, this time he tugged on her arm. "Something's… out-outside the door."

Pulling back from the freezer, Zoe tilted her head to look toward the door they came through. The racket of chairs being tossed and tables crashing to the floor mixed with the clash of plates and clang of silverware. Shaking her head, she shut the freezer door and hurried walked over to the kitchen door. Zoe hesitated a moment to acknowledge a growing pit of worry in her stomach. Heaving in a calming breath, she gripped the handle and gently tugged the door open just enough so that she could peer through the gap.

Zoe let out a quiet gasp when she saw it.

It stood in the middle of the cafeteria, head bent over the pile of broken plates on the carpeted floor. Her heart thumped under her chest as she stared at the velociraptor. It was about six feet tall, and powerfully built, although its strong legs and tail were hidden by the tables. Zoe could see only the muscular upper torso, and the two forearms held tightly along side the body, razor sharp claws dangling. She could see a speckled pattern of dark spots along the back, following the curve of the spine, barely noticeable against the rest of the creature's dark brown hide.

The velociraptor was alert as it slowly crept forward around the tables, its head jerking back and forth in an abrupt, bird-like motion as it looked from side to side. The head also bobbed up and down as it walked, and the long straight tail dipped, which only further added to the impression of a bird.

She gulped.  
A gigantic, silent bird of prey. A raptor.

The cafeteria was dark, saved for the beams of sunlight coming through the windows, but apparently the raptor could see well enough to move around. She stared at it, stalking between the tables. From time to time, it would stop and bend over, dipping its head below the tables. Zoe heard a rapid sniffing sound. Then the head would snap up, alert, jerking back and forth like a bird's, searching. She watched, holding her breath, until she was certain what she was seeing. It was following their scent. She didn't know it could do that. She'd only half paid attention to most of Charlie's babbling about dinosaurs, but Zoe thought she remembered him saying that most paleontologist believed dinosaurs had a poor sense of smell.

_Well, this one seems to be doing just fine_, she groaned inwardly, watching the raptor make steady progress through the cafeteria, coming in their direction.

Not wasting any more time, Zoe ducked back inside the kitchen and, as quietly as possible, closed the door. The latch clicked, sealing them in, but there was no lock. It should hold, though, she thought. _Dinosaurs can't open doors_. Next she reached up and switched off the lights plunging the room into semidarkness. Spinning around, she grabbed Charlie's hand and tugged him back with her, moving down the aisles between the stainless steel tables. She nudged him down to the tiled floor, and together they hid at the end of one of the work benches, behind a counter. She hugged him close, feeling his heart beat rapidly beneath his little chest.

Swallowing back her fear, Zoe craned her neck up and risked a glance around the edge of the counter as she heard a low terrifying purring get louder.

A velociraptor's head popped into view, visible through the round window in the middle of the door, light haloing its fearsome features. It snorted, and the hot breath fogged the glass, as the raptor twisted its head around to peer inside with its terrifying yellow eyes. Charlie squeezed her arm.

"Zoe," he whispered. "I'm scared."

The raptor thumped its head against the door. It didn't budge.

She turned back to look at her little brother, feeling his trembling. Zoe needed to calm him, and fast. His shivering was making too much noise. So she did what her mom did, she dropped a kiss on the top of his head, murmuring out quiet reassurances. It didn't matter if she believed them or not, she just had to say them.

The pounding stopped, and Zoe released a breath, flicking her gaze back towards the door. She could no longer see the raptor's head, but that didn't mean it was gone. Suddenly there was a strangle rattling noise, and her eyes flirted down to the door handle. A gasp escaped her mouth as she watched in speechless disbelief as the door handle began to turn. Outside the raptor snarled, snapping its jaws. Bumping its head against the door, it now swung open, banging loudly against the wall.

"It's inside," Zoe muttered, eyes locked on the raptor as it stood in the doorways.

The raptor drew itself up to its full height, rearing its head back as it let out a series of honks. The air seemed to vibrate with the call. Within moments, another raptor appeared, brushing past the first as it moved into the kitchen, snarling and snorting. The first raptor snapped at the second, and the newcomer lowered its head, letting out a hiss, tongue curling. It slowly pulled back, clearly intimidated by the first one, which was larger.

Retreating back behind the metal counter, Zoe closed her eyes, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart as the two raptors hooted and hissed at one another, as if they were having some sort of conversation. The large one let out a rolling growl, snarling and hissing. It let a honking, and the two raptors moved forward, splitting up, each taking a different aisle, heads slowly tilting to survey the tabletops and surrounding kitchen. The raptors were quickly approaching their hiding spot.

Zoe tapped Charlie's shoulder. "Follow me," she whispered.

Stilling her breath, she slowly moved, crawling on all fours down the third aisle, with her little brother following behind her, around the other side of the counter from the raptors, moving in the opposite direction. Zoe's heart thumped loudly in her ears, and she glanced to the left, spying the clawed feet of the raptor walking on the other side. One toe had a large six-inch dagger like claw. The raptor stopped, clicking the claw against the tile, before continuing on. Holding her breath, Zoe rushed forward, pivoting around the edge of the other counter.

The large raptor honked, and the other turned, its tail smacking into a collection of pots and pans, knocking them off the counter and clattering loudly onto the tiled floor. Zoe looked back, gasping when she saw Charlie stumbling around the fallen cooking pans. He grunted, and she gestured for him to hurry, biting her lower lip in worry as Charlie kicked his feet and scrambled to join her. He made it around the edge of the table just in time.

Curious as to the source of the racket, the raptor had bent down to look. It's fearsome head stuck out from underneath the table, shoving aside containers of dishcloths. Dipping its head down, the raptor nudged a fallen pot with its snout, sniffing it. Up close, the raptors were a much more frightening animal than the tyrannosaur. The T-Rex was huge and powerful, but the velociraptor was man-size, and it was clearly quick and intelligent; Zoe feared the searching eyes almost as much as the sharp teeth and dagger-like claws. The raptor snapped, irritated, narrowing its eyes as it glared down at the pots and pans, before withdrawing and standing back up.

Zoe let out a breath of relief at not getting found. But she knew that was likely to change. Glancing at Charlie, she signaled for him to follow her. He shook his head, eyes wide with fright, leaning back against the end of the counter, little chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

_We have to keep moving_, she mouthed, but he shook his head again, reaching up to brush his unruly hair back. As he moved, his elbow bumped against the kitchen utensils hanging off the hooks along the side of the counter. A metal ladle slipped off the hook and clattered to the floor before Zoe could stop it. The metallic clang resounded through the silent room. Both raptors hissed and snarled with interest, shifting direction. One let out a high-pitched honk and jumped up on the center table, knocking even more pans and cooking utensils to the ground.

Zoe tapped Charlie's shoulder and jerked her head towards the cabinets lining the opposite wall. And then, without looking back, she immediately took off in a quick crawl, assuming her little brother was right behind her. She made good time. Pirouetting around, intent on ushering Charlie inside on of the cabinets, Zoe was startled to discover he had barely moved. He had made it around from the head of the table, but he had stopped at the corner, pressing up against the flat surface of the counter. She waved her hand to get his attention, frantically gesturing for him to come over, but he shook his head, his entire body shaking with the fear that had frozen him in place.

Putting a hand over her chest, feeling it clench with fear and worry, Zoe racked her brain for a solution. Her dad used to always tell her that: "Think of the solution, Zoe, not the problem." So she did just that, furrowing her brow as she tried to formulate a plan to protect her little brother. Her eyes flirted over to the metal cabinets, and she found herself staring at her reflection.

The lead raptor let out a snarling growl, and dipped down to sniff the fallen ladle. Its pink tongue flicked out and it liked the curved spoon. Zoe watched and strained her ears to listen. Charlie closed his eyes, and pressed himself up tightly against the counter. It was only a matter of time until he was discovered. Taking a risk, Zoe grabbed on of the spoons hanging from the hooks beside her and banged it against the tile floor.

The searching raptor's head swooped up, yellow eyes spotting Zoe in seconds. The big raptor saw her too, and it reared back, stretching it's clawed hands, letting out a screeching roar, bearing its razor sharp teeth. Within moments, the fearsome predator was charging towards her. Zoe immediately dropped the spoon, and made for the steel cabinet. She scrambled inside, and glanced across at her reflection along the other steel cabinets. Tears poured down her face as the stress and emotions of everything finally began to overwhelm her. She reached up to tug the cover down, but it didn't move. Grunting she tried again, yanking at it, but it was stuck. It wouldn't budge.

But it didn't matter.

Zoe flicked her eyes back to her reflection, seeing that her pitiful struggle was only intensifying the raptor's determination. It snarled and snapped as it sped across the room. And with one final roar, the raptor pounced, but instead of ensnaring her in its jaws, the beast's head rammed hard against the shiny metal cabinets along the wall. It chased the wrong image. It made a startled sound, something like a strangled growl, and collapsed, stunned. It sagged to the floor, semiconscious.

While it was still dazed, Zoe quickly scrambled out of the cabinet, and scampered back to Charlie. Her little brother let out a gasp of surprise when she grabbed his shoulder. "I have an idea," she whispered, nodding her head in the direction of the large walk-in refrigerators. She hadn't closed the door of the last one, and it stood enticingly ajar.

Charlie's eyes grew wide as he took in her suggestion. "That's crazy," he hissed in a low voice.

"It's our only chance," Zoe said, grasping his arm and yanking him up. "Come on. Run!"

Despite his doubts, Charlie did as she said. She put one hand on his shoulder and encouraged him on as she glanced over her shoulder. The smaller raptor had been staring down at the one on the floor, investigating the smashed up metal cabinets, but it saw them the moment they made their move. It growled, raising one leg up onto the table, and launching after them like a bat out of hell.

Charlie reached the freezer first; he yanked at the door, swinging it fully open. Unable to halt her momentum, Zoe slammed into him, and the two skidded into the freezer, their feet slipping on the cold and slick floor. Before Zoe could regain any control, they were tumbling down.

The raptor bellowed a rolling roar, and launched in after them, but it wasn't expecting the slick floor. Startled and enraged, the raptors roared as it slid across the floor, slamming hard against the pig carcass dangling from the hook. Sprawled on the floor, Zoe rolled out of the way, tugging Charlie with her. Grabbing a fist full of his t-shirt, Zoe dragged her brother up to his feet, and shoved him out of the freezer. Her feet skid against the slick surface as she pushed herself up, but she managed to retain her balance and follow her brother.

Immediately, Zoe turned around, tugging at the freezer's stainless steel door, attempting to slam it shut. Yet the raptor had already regained its balance. It arched its neck, seeing her. Flashing her a wicked grin of razor sharp teeth, it snarled and snapped its jaws, jumping forward and violently ramming the bulk of its powerful body against the interior of the door. Zoe grunted, and slipped back as a result of the force. She screamed, flinging all her weight against the door before the raptor could ram itself against it again. This time the door slammed shut and she heard a satisfying click.

"Charlie! Charlie!" she screamed. She could hear the raptor pounding against the door, felt it thumping the steel. The door shook with each powerful impact. She stepped back, alarmed. She knew there was a flat steel knob inside, and if the raptor recognized it, it could open the door like it had with the kitchen door. They had to lock it. "Charlie!"

"What!?" he appeared by her side, practically vibrating with adrenaline.

Zoe leaned against the horizontal door handle, holding it shut. "There's a pin! A little pin! Get the pin!"

Inside the freezer the velociraptor roared like a lion, the sound muffled by the thick steel. It crashed its whole body against the door. The pin was dangling beneath the door handle, swinging on a little metal chain.

"I see it!" Charlie shouted frantically.

He moved closer, ducking underneath her arms to reach for it. With him so close to her, Zoe could see and feel how frightened he was. Charlie breathed in little panicky gasps as he reached for the pin. The velociraptor slammed against the door and Zoe lost her footing, slipping back. And it opened. The door opened! But the raptor hadn't expected that, and had already reared back for another try. Not wasting the opportunity, Zoe quickly found her footing and slammed the door shut again.

Charlie scrambled back, reached up and grabbed the pink. "Got it!" he cried, clutching the pin in his hand, and he pushed it through the hole, locking it into place.

The velociraptor roared. Zoe and Charlie stepped back from the door as the dinosaur slammed into it again and again. With each impact, the heavy steel wall hinges creaked, but they held. Zoe didn't think it could possibly open the door. The raptor was locked in.

Zoe released a long sigh, and took Charlie's hand. "Let's go."

They ran out of the kitchen, not seeing the other raptor stagger back up to its feet. It shook its head, and spotted them. A purr, almost like a chuckle, escaped its throat as it pulled its lips back in a snarling grin.

XXX

"This way," Castle said, glancing back at Kate and gesturing for her to follow.

Nodding, Kate adjusted the shotgun in her arms and walked behind him as he led the way through the Visitor Center lobby. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of him. Despite being battered and bruised from the trailer attack by Rex the Stalker, he looked pretty damn good. His chin and jaw was littered with two days worth of stubble, which only added to his rugged sex appeal. And aside from aggravating his bad knee, he'd come through it all relatively unharmed. She sighed, reaching up to card her fingers through her hair.

Kate couldn't wait until they got the hell off this island. They both needed a shower… preferably together. And a bed, where certain life affirming activities could be had. What could she say; life-threatening situations seemed to make her horny. And hot for Castle. No one could satisfy her the way her husband could. Even that first time. He'd surprised her with his ability to read her wants and desires. After that night, she'd had no lingering doubts she had found her one and done, the love of her life.

He glanced back at her, and winked, grinning smugly. She narrowed her eyes, and pursed her lips. The smug jackass knew exactly what she was thinking. Though, Kate simply shrugged it off, not caring. After all, he was _her_ smug jackass, and she had ways of making him pay.

_Later_, she promised herself.

They marched underneath the magnificent skeletons of the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Apatosaurus locked in mortal combat. She craned her neck, squinting as she stared up at the display. She used to enjoy marveling at the fossils of these long extinct animals. But now… boy, how things have changed!

"Where's Hammond?" she asked, scanning the lobby with highly trained eyes.

"He decided to stay in the bunker," Castle informed her with a disapproving scowl.

"Bastard," she grumbled under her breath.

Castle nodded in agreement, and gestured ahead of them. Kate spotted the double doors that led into the cafeteria. She trotted ahead of Castle, holding out a hand to stall him. Shifting the shotgun into a ready position, Kate dove first into the room, her husband not far behind.

"Holy shit!" Castle gasped when he stepped out around her, gazing at the destruction before them. Tables and chairs had been tossed around, and broken plates and silverware were littered across the floor.

"Whoa!" she let out a startled breath. "What happened in here?"

A scream came from the direction of the kitchens, and Kate jerked towards the sound. A door swung open, banging loudly against the wall, and she saw the two kids hurriedly tumble out. Castle shouted their names, and he immediately took off, meeting them halfway. The teenage girl flung herself into his arms, crying into the crook of his shoulder, while the boy buried his face into Castle's side. He held the two kids close and glanced at Kate with a worried expression.

"What is it?" he asked the teen. "What happened?"

"It… it's in there!" Zoe stammered out.

Before Castle could ask, they were answered by a high-pitched screeching roar that was all too familiar to Kate. They heard the sounds of pots and pans crashing as the raptor thrashed about inside the kitchen. Kate swallowed anxiously and exchanged a look with Castle, who was still juggling the two kids in his arms. They communicated with just their eyes, a skill they'd developed early on in their unorthodox partnership. She raised her eyebrows, ever so slightly, and he gave a nod of agreement.

"Control room."


	21. Under Control

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 20 – Under Control**

* * *

With the locking mechanism not working, the control room door burst opened without hindrance. Kate swept in first, holding the shotgun up and at the ready. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the dimly lit room. The overhead lights had turned back on with the surge of electricity, and all the monitors were a glowing black, the words '/SYSTEM READY' still blinking up in the right hand corner of the screen. The difference a day made was startling. Once the hub of activity, the control room was as silent as a tomb. The only sound was the low buzzing hum of the computers.

"Clear," she declared after sweeping the room with her eyes.

Castle stepped through the threshold with the kids in tow. He ushered them on as he turned around and closed the door behind them. Kate stalked down the ramp, legs moving quickly, already knowing which computer terminal she was heading for. The others followed without question. Shifting her hold on the shotgun into a more relaxed position, Kate stepped down into the right corner of the control room and made her way over to Nedry's workstation.

"We can call for help!" Charlie exclaimed, spotting the phone sitting on the desk. He grabbed the phone out of its cradle and held the receiver up to his ear. He paused, waiting for a dial tone, and when none came, he frown. "Nothing."

"We have to reboot the system first," Kate said, handing Castle the shotgun as she slid down into the seat in front of the computer station. She remembered Mr. Arnold sitting in this exact chair not too long ago. The memory of his severed arm landing on her shoulder, deep in the maintenance bunker, flashed through her mind. Kate could still hear her own scream mixed with that of the raptor's bone chilling snarls. She clenched her eyes shut for a brief moment, summoning up some of the coping methods Dr. Burke had taught her to help ride out emotional memories and regain control.

"Kate?" Castle prompted, gently touching her shoulder as he noticed her hesitation.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, pursing her lips and glaring at the screen. After a minute or two, she sighed and scrubbed a hand down her face in frustration. "Where's Ryan when you need him? He's always better at the tech stuff."

Castle nodded in agreement.

"Zoe knows stuff about computers," Charlie chirped in. "She always goes straight to her room after school and doesn't come out until dinner. Always doing stuff on her computer."

Kate exchanged a look with Castle; both well aware that a teenager could be doing lots of stuff in their room that had nothing to do with a computer. Still, if Charlie's assumptions about his big sister's computer skills were founded, then Kate would be remiss if she didn't take advantage of that resource. Arching her neck, she glanced back at Zoe, the teen's eyes large, looking slightly skittish, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Is that true, Zoe?" Kate questioned.

The teenager bit her lower lip and nodded.

"Okay, then," Kate said, standing up, and gestured for Zoe to take the vacant seat.

The girl rubbed her arm self-consciously, and then stepped around her little brother, sliding down into the seat. She reached up and brushed back a loose strand of hair out of her eyes, before focusing on the computer monitor. "I'm not familiar with this system. The OS appears to be custom made."

"You can do it, Zoe," Charlie urged, standing beside his sister, his facial features filled with absolute faith.

Zoe slowly placed her hands over the keyboard and typed out '/REQUEST: ACCESS MAIN SYSTEM'. She paused for just a moment, and then pressed the ENTER button. A beeping noise emanated from the computer, and the words ACCESS GRANTED. Everyone lit out a collective sigh of relief. Zoe typed in '/ACCESS MAIN PROGRAM GRID', and the computer beeped, once again presented her with an affirmative.

"Okay, okay," Zoe nodded her head. "I'm getting an idea of how this works."

Kate raised her eyebrows, thoroughly impressed with this young woman skill. The operating system was obviously a custom design. She couldn't fathom how the teen was even coming up with the command queries to gain access to the appropriate programs. She glanced up at Castle and discovered that his eyes weren't riveted on the screen, but on her. She gave him a soft reassuring smile, and reached around Zoe to curl her fingers against his shoulder. He smiled back, and shifted closer to her.

Zoe chewed on her bottom lip as she typed out her next command: /RUN: START UP PROGRAM. The computer issued a series of beeps, and then the screen flashed, turning blue. Rows and rows of code scrolled past, followed by a line of hashtags, and then the screen blinked back to black.

"What!? Did she break it?" Charlie's mouth dropped, and he reached out, punching the top of the monitor with his little fist before Castle could grabbed his hand and pull it back.

"Hitting it won't make it work," Castle chided, giving the boy a stern look.

"Zoe?" Kate asked, leaning in, concerned.

"It's just running the program," the teen replied. "Then it'll reboot. Think of it like a hard start after a crash."

"Okay," Kate bobbed her head like she understood, when really it had just all gone over her head. She had no idea what things like 'hard start' meant, but Zoe seemed like she knew what she was doing, so Kate wasn't going to worry herself. The computer beeped once again, and this time, when Kate looked at the screen, she recognized the user interface from when Mr. Arnold had been trying to bypass the virus Nedry had put into the system.

"We're in!" Zoe exclaimed, smiling, unable to hide her pride.

"Great job, Zoe," Castle patted the teen's shoulder.

Kate inclined her head, and nudged Castle's arm, taking the shotgun back from him. She adjusted her hold, feeling a little more secure with it back in her hands. Scanning the room, she wondered what had happened to all the technicians and support staff. She tapped Castle's shoulder to let him know she was going to look around, and he nodded. Kate left them to handle rebooting the system.

Stepping up onto the center platform, Kate finally took her first good look at the entire control room. In a way, it reminded her of the underground CIA operations center during the case where she had discovered she hadn't been Richard Castle's first muse. She stared at the three large screens on the wall, all still blank, but glowing with the start-up menu. The computer banks lining the room were all starting to boot back up, and the screens were flickering to life. Kate turned around, letting her eyes survey the entire room, looking at it with detective eyes. That's when she saw it through the windows along the opposite wall.

It was a flash of dark brown, but it was enough of a warning.

"You've got to be kidding me," she exhaled in disbelief, hooking the shotgun into a secure hold as she ran up the ramp, her feet pounding against the metal grating. "The door locks—Castle! Boot up the door locks! Boot up the door locks!"

Gritting her teeth, Kate lowered her shoulders and rammed against the door just as the flat handle began to turn. Something powerful hit the door, hard, from outside, and despite her efforts, it jerk violently inward, sending her stumbling backwards, the shotgun falling from her grasp, clattering uselessly on the floor. The blood-curdling snarl of a raptor penetrated the air, and the kids let out a cry of terror, having thought they'd escaped the fiend. The raptor roared, snapping its jaws as it continued to push the door open. Kate dug her feet into the floor, but with each strike, she was pushed back, rapidly losing ground.

"Castle!"

Before she even finished crying out his name, her husband was heaving himself up the small steps, and running up the ramp, throwing himself against the door, adding his weight to hers in an attempt to keep the velociraptor from gaining entrance. The large raptor hissed and honked, ramming itself against the door, trying to force its way into the control room. Kate sucked in a deep breath, and tensed her muscles, intent on keeping the door shut. Her eyes flicked over to meet Castle's and she could see he was doing the same thing. But he was struggling with his bad knee. Kate knew that they could only hold back the door against the raptor's onslaught for so long. It was taking all they had just to hold steady as the door bucked against them with each vicious strike by the raptor.

"Kate…," Castle grunted, breathing through his nose. "Get back and boot up the door locks!"

She shook her head. "You can't hold it by yourself." Besides, Kate knew she would be useless in that endeavor. They had to trust in Zoe to see that through.

Castle let out a sigh, but inclined his head in acknowledgement of her statement. His eyes flicked down to the floor, where the shotgun rested… just out of reach.

"Kate," he gasped. "Try and reach the gun."

"I can't get it unless I move," she replied, gritting her teeth and pushing back against the door with all her weight as the raptor violently rammed against it, snarling and hissing in anger over being thwarted. Castle looked over at her, his brow beading in sweat and she could see the fear he tried masking behind his eyes but failed. "I'm not leaving you," she declared, giving him a fierce and determined look. "We're in this together, Castle."

He inclined his head and agreed, albeit reluctantly, "Together."

XXX

Her breath hitched and her chest heaved as her heart pounded with fear. Zoe stared up in horror as she watched Mr. and Mrs. Castle struggle with the door, using all their strength to hold it back against the large velociraptor. She had thought they'd seen the last of those cursed beasts in the kitchens, but apparently she had been mistaken. Beside her, Charlie was bouncing up and down, hands on his head as he fought against the rising terror. Closing her eyes, Zoe tried to steady her breathing and find her inner calm. She blocked out all external sensations and focused on centering herself. She had to remain focus on the task fate had assigned to her.

Opening her eyes, Zoe quickly turned the chair back around to face the computer terminal. She stared blankly at the computer screen as she worked at getting her thoughts into order. The screen winked out and then, following a digital chime, rebooted, and she grinned to herself. _Finally something goes according to plan_. Zoe watched the computer go through its startup routine, before it loaded the startup program interface she had opened a few moments ago.

"Zoe? What is it?" Charlie asked, his hand nervously tapping the back of her chair.

She narrowed her eyes and stared at the screen, trying to access what she was seeing. What she saw was similar to what she'd see if she was initializing a personal computer for the first time, just a little more complex and detailed. A list slowly scrolled onto the screen, presenting her with several options with how to proceed, similar to what would occur with Microsoft Windows after a hard reboot after the computer has froze. If this operation was similar she would press the F12 button on the keyboard, but this OS was different. She looked over all the options, trying to her best to ignore the struggle at the door.

"Zoe?"

"Shh," he hissed, needing her brother to remain quiet so she could concentrate. She was tempted to select the option labeled SYSTEM DIRECTORY; the thought being that she could then find the right set of files to engaged the overall system. But in reality, that sounded like a lot of work, like looking for a needle in a haystack. She opted for the less daunting option and selected SYSTEM INITIALIZATION. The screen flashed, and the cursor turned into a spinning wheel, until the program loaded.

Zoe was staring at an Unix-like OS, but customized. She wasn't all too familiar with Unix, since Linux had over taken in popularity before she was born, but she knew enough from what she'd read on the internet to navigate around it. Grabbing the mouse, she moved the cursor down, finding a box labeled SET GRID DNL.

The computer buzzed, and a warning popped up: COMMAND EXECUTION ABORTED (AUX POWER LOW).

"What does the mean?" Charlie asked, leaning over her shoulder and squinting at the warning.

"It means the control room is still running off its backup generators," Zoe replied. "I need to switched back over to the main power grid."

"How do you do that?"

Zoe moved the cursor down the list, and found one that looked right. She clicked the mouse, selecting ELECTRICAL MAIN. The screen flashed to another set of options, and Zoe quickly scanned the list, this time selecting MAIN. Nothing happened. The screen continued to flash. She moved the cursor down, and right-clicked on the mouse, opening up a drop-down menu. From there, she selected MAIN GRID P. She nibbled on her bottom lip, worrying she'd made a mistake. Maybe she was overestimating her abilities?

The screen gave her several options, and she narrowed her eyes, hunching forward as she read down the list. Not entirely sure she knew what she was going, Zoe selected MAIN SET 1. The screen flashed 'MAIN POWER ACTIVATED', and suddenly all the lights in the room shifted from low to full illumination.

Pressing the ESC button on the keyboard, she was returned to the main menu. Following her original path, Zoe let out a sigh of relief when she selected 'SET GRID DNL' and, this time the program loaded. The cursor blinked in a text box, giving her the option to write in the command she desired to execute. Placing her fingers on the keyboard, she typed out: /RESET GRIDS. Nothing happened for a moment. She arched her neck over her shoulder and glanced back at the Castles, seeing them losing their struggle against the raptor.

Stifling down her fear, she returned her focus to the screen, seeing that her command had been successful in pulling up the desired menu. Using the mouse, she quickly went down the list, clicking each box to activate the grid number. There were over 100 systems and she went as fast as she could.

"C'mon, Zoe," Charlie urged. "Faster… faster."

"I'm going as fast as I can," she snapped. Reaching another menu Zoe spotted a box on the screen that was labeled 'SECURITY DOORS'. "This is it. I got it." She moved the cursor down and quickly clicked each box. Reaching the end of the list, she pressed enter. The computer buzzed and chimed as a window popped up, prompting her whether she wished to proceed or not, warning her that initialization would wipe any programs currently running in the memory buffers:

PROCEED WITH INITIALIZATION: Y / N?

Zoe used the arrows on the keyboard to select the Y, and then pressed enter.

XXX

Chest heaving, sweat pouring down her forehead and stinging her eyes as her muscles strained with the effort to keep the door closed, Kate steeled herself against the door. After five minutes the raptor still hadn't given up. Her breath was coming out in pants, and fatigue was beginning to set in.

"Kate…," Castle grunted, glancing over at her. "I… I don't think I can hold it anymore."

The raptor redoubled its efforts, undeterred by the delay, the anger at being denied its prey only seeming to intensify its determination. It pounced against the door, and Castle slipped, skidding backwards. The door opened an couple inches and the raptor's clawed hands wrapped around, seeking to secure its grip. The door groaned, and inched forward. Kate heaved in a breath, summoning up all her reserved strength and pushed, ramming the door back, and striking the raptor's clawed hands against the frame. The raptor howled in pain, withdrawing its hands, allowing them to shut the door again.

The door latch panel buzzed. Kate exchanged a surprised look with Castle, and together they put everything they had into it, holding the door shut. The tumblers clicked, and they heard the satisfying sound of the bolts slamming into place, locking the raptor out.

The velociraptor snarled in outrage, pounding the door with all its might, but now with the locks secured, it didn't budge. Castle let out a loud sigh of relief, and slumped down against the door. Kate followed him down to the floor, leaning against him as they both heaved in deep gulps of air. She turned into him, and raised her hand to his face, her muscles quaking with relief from the strain they'd been under. Quickly closing the distance between them, Kate pressed a sloppy, relieved kiss to her husband's lips, and smiled when he kissed her back, laughing with joy.

The door vibrated with the raptor's continued blows, but still didn't move. Slowly, using each other for support, they pull themselves back up to their feet, clinging to one another. Holding hands, Kate led the way back down to the ramp, pausing only to snatch the shotgun back up off the floor. They descended down into the right corner of the control room where Zoe and Charlie were bouncing up and down, hugging each other and crying with triumph.

"She did it! She did it!" enthused Charlie.

Kate and Castle smiled like proud parents.

"What works?" Kate asked.

"Lights, doors, phone… you ask for it, we got it!" Zoe exclaimed, her face still flushed with victory. "Jurassic Park is finally coming under control."

Kate untangled herself from Castle, handing him the shotgun as she reached for the phone. She yanked it out of its cradle and held it up to her ear, lips stretching wide in a beaming smile when she heard the dial tone. She looked down at the number pad, and punched in the code for the emergency bunker she had memorized earlier in the day with Muldoon, before they went out to look for Castle and the kids.

It rung for only a few seconds before the call was answered.

"_Hello_?" came a confused voice.

"Mr. Hammond, she answered. "The phones are working."

"_Mr. Castle and the kids_?" he asked, and she had to bite her tongue, least she chew him out for feigning concern. "They're fine." She paused, and glanced back at her companions, noticing the fatigue and exhaustion on their happy faces. "Call the mainland. Tell them to send the damn helicopters—" Kate's voice trailed off as she noticed some movement in the corner of her eye. "Castle! The window! It's coming through the window!"

Caught off guard, Castle fired blindly at the window, the shots resounding around the room as he missed his target. Zoe and Charlie screamed as the raptor launched itself through the window, shattering the glass. Shards flew everywhere as the ancient predator landed perfectly on the surface of a workstation, knocking over several computer monitors, which broke apart the moment they crashed to the floor. The raptor parted its jaws, snarling and grinning wickedly at them with rows of razor sharp teeth, its yellow eyes alight with wicked glee.

Kate dropped the phone and shoved Castle back, the shotgun falling from his hands, expended shells bouncing off the floor. "Run! Run!" she screamed, her veins filling with terror. She grabbed at Zoe and Charlie, yanking them away from the raptor as it jumped down off the terminal, the metal ramp clanging loudly under its clawed feet. It lowered its head and roared, slowly stalking towards them. Kate glanced around frantically, trying to find a quick escape. She couldn't see anything. She clutched Castle's hand and, believing this was it, that they're luck had finally ran out, stared up at him, trying to convey with her eyes just how much she loved him.

But he wasn't looking at her. Castle was gazing up at the ceiling, his features slowly manifesting hope. It stole her breath. How could she forget? With Castle by her side, there was always hope.


	22. When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth

**Jurassic Island**

**Chapter 21 – When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth**

* * *

The velociraptor lowered its head, lips curling back as it snarled. A deep purring growl emanated from its throat as it stalked forward, maneuvering around the many computer banks, stopping occasionally to investigate the glowing screens. Castle grabbed the computer monitor off the nearest workstation, and hurled it at the raptor. The monitor struck the raptor square in the snarling face. It let out a high-pitched shrieked and bounced back, stunned.

It was distraction enough.

Almost immediately, Castle turned back around and grabbed Zoe, hoisting her up on his shoulders. Bewildered, she couldn't help but let out a small yelp of surprise, which regained the raptor's focus. Spotting them, it snarled and snapped, leaping into the air and landing atop one of the computer stations closest to them. Taking his cue, Kate and Charlie each grabbed something off the desk and threw it at the raptor. It wasn't enough to completely halt the beast, but it was enough to divert its focus.

Castle gritted his teeth and grunted, reaching his arms over his head to push Zoe up. She was standing on his shoulders now, stretching up to reach for the air vent above their heads, having caught on quickly to his plan. While Charlie continued throwing whatever he could find at the raptor, Kate hurriedly snatched the dropped shotgun back up off the floor. She slipped her hand down Castle's back pocket, and groped around for the extra rounds, earning a raised eyebrow from her husband as he felt her fingers brushed against his posterior. Kate retrieved a pair of bullets, which she quickly loaded into the shotgun barrel. She stepped in front of Castle, holding the gun at the ready, and aimed directly at the raptor.

The velociraptor narrowed its yellow eyes at her and let out a hissing snarl, but halted its approach nonetheless. Apparently the beast understood the threat that came from what Kate held in her hands. It hissed softly, hesitant yet unafraid, clicking its dagger-like toe-claw against the surface of the workbench upon which it stood, watching them.

"I almost got it," Zoe proclaimed, letting out a little grunt as she made the final stretch, flattening her palm on the air vent and pushing it open.

The raptor snapped its jaws in agitation as Zoe shimmied up through the opened air vent and into the crawl space above. Its head tilted up, following her movement with keen interests. Bending its hind legs, the raptor poised in a pouncing stance. Not having any of that, Kate squeezed the shotgun's trigger. The blast reverberated throughout the room, destroying two monitors with a loud bang and a burst of sparks. Debris flew into the air, and the raptor honked in surprise, tumbling back in alarm when the two monitors by its feet exploded.

"Next time aim for the head," Castle suggested, lifting Charlie up and over his head.

Zoe hung out from the air vent, reaching down for her brother. Her fingers curled around his forearms and she yanked him up. He let out a little cry when his feet left Castle's shoulders and he dangled for a moment in mid-air before his big sister hauled him the rest of the way up. Castle let out a breath and turned to Kate, frantically gesturing to her.

"No way," she shook her head, not needing him to voice his request.

"Like you could hold me up on _your_ shoulders!" Castle hissed back.

Kate growled, scowling as she reluctantly inclined her head. She fired off another round at the raptor. Unfortunately it had sensed the impending danger and had moved out of the way, just enough to avoid getting shot. The bullet grazed its left flank. The raptor howled in pain, stumbling backwards, as if stung, colliding with a row of computers. It crashed violently into them, its tail swinging wildly in the air as it fell.

"Now!" Castle insisted, cupping his hands and holding them down low.

Pursing her lips, Kate used the strap on the shotgun to swing it over her shoulder as she lifted a foot, and planted her hands on Castle's broad shoulders. "You just want to grab my ass," she tried to lighten the mood.

"It's a perk, I won't deny it," replied Castle, flashing her a wink.

"Okay, on the count of three."

"Okay," Kate huffed out a breath, agreeing. She curled her fingers into his shoulders.

"One… two… three."

With a grunt, Castle supported Kate's weight as she clambered up him, her hands shifting to grab his head as she adjusted her knees on his shoulders. Kate let out a little strain chuckle as his face smashed right into the apex of her legs. The timing was entirely inappropriate, but she couldn't help having flashbacks to the last time Castle had his head between her legs. The man could work wonders. She wiggled around for a bit, keeping his head pressed tightly between her thighs, before she regained her balance and lifted herself up onto his broad shoulders. Kate was tall, so she had no trouble reaching the air vent. She gripped the sides of the opening and pulled herself up. Castle let out a soft breath when she was clear, slumping his shoulders in relief.

Meanwhile, the raptor thrashed about against the back computer monitors, craning its neck around to examine the bullet graze. Its tongue flicked out, probing the wound. It roared angrily, flopping about, enraged. Castle wasted no time in rolling over a chair and positioning it under the opened air vent. Kate was glancing down at him, encouraging him to hurry, her hands reaching down for him.

"Castle, hurry!" she hissed.

The raptor snapped and snarled, coming up to its feet as Castle jumped up on the rolling chair. It wobbled underfoot, and Castle had to catch his balance. He stretched up, reaching for Kate's hand, but the distance was too much. He couldn't reach.

"Castle, please!"

Frustrated, he jumped off the chair, just in the nick of time, as he narrowly missed the leap of the velociraptor. It sailed through the empty space he had once occupied, jaws opened, and slammed against the large HD screen mounted to the wall. The monitor shattered, and the wall clamps buckled under the impact, giving out. It toppled over in a series of sparks and flashes of smoke, landing squarely on top the raptor. Stunned, the beast lay trapped beneath the large screen, growling and snapping as it thrashed about.

Without further delay, Castle pushed one of the workstations directly under the air vent. The metal legs squealed against the concrete. The raptor was incensed by it, and it redoubled its efforts, kicking its powerful hind legs, the razor sharp claws tearing the shattered wall monitor apart.

Castle heaved in a deep gulp breath, feeling his heart pound furiously beneath his chest as he climbed up on top of the workstation, shoving the computers aside and letting them crash to the concrete floor. Kate was crying his name, and he summoned up all his strength and jumped. His fingers snagged the edge of the opening, and Kate's hands immediately grabbed his arm. She grunted, and cursed, as she and the kids helped pull him up.

Freed of the toppled monitor, the raptor roared in outrage, and leaped up towards Castle, snapping its jaws, just barely missing snagging his ankle with its razor sharp teeth. Castle yanked his leg back and let out a hot breath as he slumped back against Kate's warm body. He could feel her heart pulsing rapidly in her chest. He glanced around, seeing them all crammed inside the crawl space. It was a tight squeeze, but at least they were safe… for now.

"Babe… are you okay?" Kate asked, gently running a shaking hand down the side of his face, eyes large and worried.

Sighing, he eased into her touch, allowing himself a brief respite in the comforting embrace of his wife's touch. "Never better," he replied, pursing his lips and smirking.

XXX

John Hammond slowly pushed the heavy metal door open and peeked outside, glancing around anxiously. The power was back on, so he wasn't worried about the Tyrannosaurus Rex suddenly plowing down Jurassic Boulevard, but from what he'd heard over the phone from the beautiful, yet aggravating Detective Beckett, those bloody raptors were on the loose, having broken out of their pen while the power was temporarily down. Muldoon had always said they were clever.

Seeing now sign of any dinosaur nearby, Hammond quietly slipped out of the emergency bunker and hustled as fast as he could, leaning heavily on his cane, over to the jeep parked nearby. He checked the back compartment, and sighed with relief when he found an orange plastic case. Flares. After the exchange with Beckett, Hammond had quickly called InGen's mainland base and ordered in a helicopter to pick him up. He needed the flares to signal them his location.

Satisfied the jeep was fully equipped, he limped around to the driver's side, and opened the car door. After climbing in behind the steering wheel, he froze. It had been so long since he had ever had to personally drive himself anywhere. He'd always had chauffeurs. Grumbling under his breath, he looked around the automobile, searching for the keys. Thankfully, they were still in the ignition. He turned the key, and listened to the engine roar to life.

"Well, at least I have that. Just like riding a bicycle," he said out loud, allowing himself a little smile of triumph. "Now… let's see if I remember how to change gears."

It took some work, and the gear crank protested several times, but eventually, he was able to get the bloody thing into drive. Adjusting his glasses, Hammond gripped the steering wheel, and pressed his foot down on the accelerator. The jeep jerked forward. He let out a small yelp of surprise, and after some fumbling around, pulled his foot back on the gas pedal. It took some back and forth, but eventually he found a rhythm, and he was steadily moving towards his destination, away from the Visitor Center.

He couldn't care less about the others. Beckett, Castle, and those damn kids could fend for themselves. Hammond's main concern was getting off the island. And the sooner he got to the docks, the better.

The jeep bounced as it skidded the edge of the service road. He yanked the wheel back, intent on righting his course, but his reaction had been too extreme. He slammed his foot onto the breaks. Nothing happened. He did it again. And again… nothing. Taking his eyes off the road, Hammond glanced down to see three pedals.

"Bloody hell!" he cursed. He had forgotten about the clutch. Hammond made another last-ditch effort to right the vehicle, but it was too little, too late. The jeep missed the turn, a sharp S-curve, and went careening off the edge of the road and into the densely packed foliage. Hammond gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. He had seriously misjudged his driving capabilities. He ducked his head down as the jeep bounced down the hillside, slamming hard into the thick trunk of a tree. The crash jolted him about, and his head snapped forward.

And then there was blackness.

XXX

The crawl space was a tight squeeze, but after some careful maneuvering around, they finally managed to get everyone up. After the close call, they all needed a moment to catch their breath. Castle was slightly leaning into her side, squishing her up against the side paneling, but Kate couldn't care less. Those few minutes after she'd crawled up through the vent and waited for him to join her were some of the most terrifying minutes of her life. She had to helplessly watch as he barely avoided getting mauled by the big raptor. If he hadn't become frustrated and jumped down off the chair… No. She didn't want to think about.

"Rick," she gasped his name, and he tilted his head up until their eyes were locked. They stared at one another for a long moment, chests still heaving from the shock of it all, speaking with just their eyes, reassuring and reaffirming their love. "I… I was afraid I might lose you."

"No, never," he asserted with a shake of his head.

Kate swallowed the lump in her throat, furiously blinking her eyes as she quilled the rising tide of emotions. She fisted his shirt, and yanked him close, kissing him soundly.

"Eww, gross," Charlie grimaced.

Zoe just smiled shyly, ducking her head down bashfully as she watched them.

Kate let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. "Okay," she brought a hand up to wipe away the sweat from her brow. "Let's get going."

Castle nodded, shifting around in the tight space to let the kids crawl past them as Kate led the way. She moved fast, but carefully, so as not to break through the ceiling paneling below them. Kate ducked her head under some pipes and electrical cables, heading towards an air duct. She had no idea where it might take them, but right now, anyplace was better than this. Kate adjusted the strap securing the shotgun to her shoulder, and shifted around to face the others. Her eyes flicked up to meet with Castle's, and she gestured towards the air duct with a jerk of her head. He gave a subtle nod, concurring with her suggestion.

Moving back, Castle put a hand on Charlie's back, encouraging the boy to go first. Charlie sucked in quick a breath, and crawled forward. Kate held out her hand for the boy. The ceiling beneath them shook. And then the panel beneath Charlie suddenly began rising up off its holdings. The raptor's head appeared, snarling and snapping. Zoe screamed as Charlie cried out in horror, pinned against the top of the crawl space. Kate gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing at the raptor as its head spun to snarl, flashing its razor sharp teeth in her direction.

Kate moved fast. She shifted her body, changing angles. She pulled her leg back and smashed her foot against the side of the raptor's face. The raptor growled, hissing and snapping, trying to snag her shoe, but she pulled back before it could clamp its jaws shut. And then she struck again, ramming her foot twice more against the raptor's head.

That did it. The raptor lost its balance and its own weight pulled it back down. Charlie went down with the raptor, spinning into the hole in the ceiling, tumbling through the air. Zoe cried out, and Castle jerked forward, grasping the young boy by the collar at the last second, and for a single terrifying moment, Charlie hung there above the flailing velociraptor.

Castle clenched his jaw as he shifted his hold over to one of the boy's arms. Meanwhile, the raptor rolled around on the floor, flipping over and shaking its head, disoriented from its fall. Castle grunted as he heaved Charlie back up. Seeing him struggling, Kate moved forward and helped, grabbing Charlie's other arm. Below them, the raptor crouched, preparing to pounce. Together, Kate and Castle pulled Charlie back up into the crawl space. And they were just in time. The raptor sprung up into the air, but was too late, and barely missed snagging the boy's dangling legs.

"Thanks," panted Charlie, still in a daze of shock while Zoe crushed him in a fierce hug.

Kate glanced up at Castle. "That was close," she whispered between them.

"Too close," Castle agreed.

Not wasting any more time, Kate moved back and tapped Zoe's shoulder, gesturing for her to follow. The teen nodded, reluctantly letting go of her little brother. Castle stayed close to Charlie, and helped the boy as they scrambled over to the air duct. Kate watched as Zoe and Charlie went down first, followed by Castle. She glanced around, feeling her heart palpitated wildly beneath her breast. Satisfied that the raptor wasn't going to try attacking again, Kate secured her hold on the shotgun, and then slipped down into the air duct.

XXX

Hammond startled awake, his head resting against the airbag that had inflated the moment the jeep had impacted against the thick tree trunk. Groaning, he slowly leaned back, reaching a hand around to rub the back of his head. He had a headache, probably had a minor concussion. He glanced about, uncertain as to his location. The jungle was quiet around him. Too quiet. Grumbling under his breath, he reached across the center console and grabbed his cane. He slumped out of the jeep, and stood on shaky legs, glancing about anxiously.

Where was he? Everything looked the same. He did a complete three hundred and sixty degree turn, but still nothing looked similar. Hammond knew he had gone off road, but was uncertain just how far down hill he'd traveled before ramming into the tree. He looked back at the jeep, seeing its front end wrapped around the thick trunk. It was a miracle he'd even survived. Thanking the graces for whatever providence watched over him, Hammond gripped his cane tightly in his hand and limped away from the crash.

"Damn jungles," Hammond said under his breath. He found himself yearning for his native Scotland.

It hurt to breathe. There was a throbbing in his left ankle, and his breath was coming in short wheezy gasps. Hammond slumped back against the side of the crashed jeep. He lowered his head in his hand and tried to slow his breathing, but it was difficult. There was a stream nearby, and he clutched his cane, grunting through the pain as he hobbled over to the enticing water. He slipped in the wet mud along the streambed, and fell to his knees with a startled shout.

Taking his glasses off, Hammond cupped his hands and splashed some cool water on his face, sighing at the refreshing feeling. He rubbed his glasses dry against the bottom edge of his shirt, and put them back on, blinking as he glanced about. It was dark here in the forest undergrowth, the tall canopy trees covered the sky, yet he could still see patches of sunlight coming through small openings.

Hammond plopped down heavily in the damp earth of the streambed, caring little for the muddy stains now smearing his once pristine white trousers. It was hot. Hot and humid. Never a good combination. He missed his Scotland, and the cold, dreary, gray days up on the moorlands. He had never really acclimatized to the tropical heat. The air was so thick with moisture; it felt like he was breathing through a sponge.

He huffed out a breath, and pulled back his trouser leg to look at his ankle. It was now swollen and dark purple. He couldn't put any weight on it at all. He had been forced to hop down the small slope on his other leg with only his cane for support, which now burned with pain from the exertion,.

Hammond was tired, panting like an old dog. His leg throbbed and he was dizzy. It would be so easy just to sit there, all day, by the streambed. And why shouldn't he be tired? He was pushing seventy-six years of age. That was no age to go gallivanting through pathless jungles. Even though, Hammond considered himself in peak condition for a man his age, despite his bad leg. Personally, he expected to live to be a hundred. It was just a matter of taking care of himself, of taking care of things as they came up. And he had plenty of reasons to live. Other parks to build. Other wonders to create…

His thoughts were interrupted by a squeaking, then a chattering sound. Hammond narrowed his eyes and gazed up around him at the trees. Some kind of small bird, no doubt, hopping around in the undergrowth or up in the tree canopy. Nothing to be worried about.

XXX

Kate kicked out the gate, and the grating tumbled down to the floor with a loud metallic clang and clatter. Slipping slowly out of the opening, she dropped gracefully down onto the floor. She looked around, and seeing no signs of danger, glanced back up and waved her hand over her head. Castle patted Charlie on the back, and held the boy's arms as he lowered him halfway down. Kate held her arms out and caught the boy when Castle released him, gently easing him to the floor. Zoe was next. She shimmied down by herself, and jumped, landing perfectly on her feet. Charlie immediately broke away from Kate's side and buried himself in his sister's embrace. Zoe clutched him tightly, dipping her head down to whisper reassurances into his ear.

"Castle… come on," Kate hissed, glancing back up at her husband. He wore a worried expression. "What is it?"

"My knee," he confessed.

"Just… take it easy, okay," Kate soothed. "Come down slowly."

"Okay," Castle called back, shifting around and slipping his legs through the vent. He did just as she told him to, and went slowly, easing himself down through the opening. Kate moved closer, placing a hand on his leg to help steady him as he made the final drop.

"There," she said, when he was on his feet, standing beside her. She brushed her fingers through the unruly flop of hair that tumbled down over his forehead. "See, not bad at all."

"Hmm," he hummed, reading the double meaning.

Kate smiled at him, and then stepped back, swinging the shotgun around to hold it at the ready. She had to be careful, they only had four more rounds left, and two of them were already loaded in the barrel. She glanced around the hallway, noting the curved walls. Glancing to the right, she saw the top portions of the large Apatosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons that were on display in the main lobby. The rotunda was filled with sunlight, thanks to the large windows surrounding each side. So Kate didn't have to worry about something jumping out of the shadows.

Their footsteps echoed throughout the domed interior as they ran towards the stairs. Since she had the shotgun, Kate took the lead. Castle trailed at the end, keeping the children between them. They all huddled close, moving as one unit, keenly aware that despite how it may seem, they were far from out of danger. With each step, Kate grew more and more worried. It was all too easy. From what she'd experience thus far, velociraptors did not give up. And there were at least two of them on the loose. She held no illusions that the one she had encountered in the maintenance shed was still trapped behind a closed door.

Her worries were justified when a shrilling roar came from below them. She arched her neck and glanced down, seeing a smaller raptor on the second floor landing. It snarled and snapped, leaping up the spiral staircase with lightning speed. They couldn't outrun it. That was impossible. Kate glanced around frantically, pausing to star out at the suspended fossils. She swallowed. There really weren't any other options.

"Up," she said.

"What?" Castle questioned, glancing at her with a confused and befuddled expression.

"Up," she repeated, grabbing Charlie and spinning the boy around, pushing him on the back to encourage him back up the stairs. "We have to go up. Hurry!"

Castle opened his mouth to object, but the shrieking growl of the small raptor speeding up the stairs towards them cut him off. He nodded, and grabbed Zoe's hand, helping the teen up as Kate kept one hand on Charlie's back, making sure the boy didn't slip or lose his balance. They dashed back up the staircase, tumbling out onto the fourth floor landing.

"And we're back to where we started," Castle commented, matter-of-factly.

A rolling growl sounded from down the hallway, and Kate jerked her head towards the source. At the end of the hallway, emerging from the corridor that led to the control room was the big raptor. It glared at them with its menacing yellow eyes. Rearing its head back, the raptor curled its lips back and roared like a lion, ferocious and angry. Kate's breath caught in her throat, and she froze. They were cornered. They couldn't move; either way led to certain death. The smaller raptor roared from the staircase. It was only a matter of time before it caught up with them.

"The skeletons!" Castle shouted.

"What!? Are you crazy!?" Kate fought the urge to roll her eyes. He couldn't be serious.

He waved his hand to dismiss the protests she never raised, and gestured for them to follow. The kids went without question, easily trusting of Castle and his harebrained ideas. Kate wasn't too sure of it, but she had to admit they were out of options, and usually, whenever that happened when she was working on a case, it was one of Castle's crazy theories that helped spark a new avenue of investigation. Castle helped Charlie up and over the railing. Zoe followed.

"Jump!"

The kids an uncertain exchanged a look, before leaping into the air. Zoe smacked hard against the Apatosaurus's shoulder bone, but managed to find a grip. Charlie landed safely along the backbones, grabbing the ribs for support. Castle climbed over the railing as Kate watched his back, seeing the raptors meet up, snarling and honking, as if discussing a stratagem for capturing their prey.

"Kate?"

"Jump, Castle," she hissed.

For once, her husband inclined his head and obeyed. Castle hurled himself across the distance, hitting the center of the Apatosaurus hard. He let out a grunt of pain, but managed to grab a hold of the ribs before he could slip down. Kate fired two shots at the raptors, hitting the big one in the shoulder, but doing nothing to slow it down. She slung the shotgun strap over her shoulder, and climbed over the railing. She risked a glance back, seeing the raptors charging right at her, displaying their razor sharp teeth, the savaged looking toe-claws curled back, at the ready.

"Kate!" Castle shouted.

His voice snapped her back into reality, and she jumped.

She flew through the air, and landed with a grunt against the twisting tailbones of the behemoth that was Apatosaurus. However, much to her dismay, the shotgun slipped from her grasp, and clattered down to the lobby floor. Kate gripped tightly onto the sharp bones, tugging herself up. She breathed through her nose as she strained to hold her grip. Up above their heads, the anchor bolts groaned in the plaster ceiling, starting to pull free. Kate glanced up, worriedly. She had concerns that the suspended wires couldn't handle the added weight. But for now, at least, it was holding.

The raptors skidded to a halt at the railing, snarling and snapping in annoyance. The big one nipped at the smaller one, and it ducked its head down, submissively. It darted back, and then reappeared, charging towards the railing. Using its powerful legs, the raptor vaulted over the railing and sailed through the air, the curved toe-claw held up, reading to slash and cut. The raptor collided violently with the center of the towering Apatosaurus.

Immediately the skeleton fractured into pieces.

"Hold on!" Kate cried over the din as the bolts and wires cracked, and the bones shattered.

Zoe screamed as the shoulder and neck portion swing away from the ribcage, the wires going taut, and the anchor bolts creaking in protest. The tail section Kate was latched onto spun away, pirouetting around in circle, and she had to close her eyes as prevention against dizziness. Castle held onto Charlie as the ribcage twisted awkwardly, the support wires groaning under the strain.

"Beckett!" Castle shouted, distraught, worried for her safety. "Kate!?"

"I'm fine!" she shouted back, squeezing her arms tighter around the spinning tailbones.

The raptor struggled, roaring in anger at the latest obstacle. And it seemed to be the final straw. The wires and the bolts holding the ribcage snap. The anchor bolts in the ceiling rip free, and zing past them like bullets. Castle, Charlie, and the raptor all tumbled to the floor in a cascade of splintering bone.

"CASTLE!" Kate cried out, watching in horror as the whole middle section of the Apatosaurus plummeted towards the lobby floor.

Across from her, Zoe tried to adjust her hold on the neck bones, but she lost her grip and slipped, barely holding on by her fingertips as she hung there, legs swaying in mid-air. Zoe's struggled for a few seconds, before letting go, screaming as she fell, landing on the ground with the bones falling on top of her.

Above Kate's head, the wires keeping the tailbones suspended finally gave out. The bolts snapped and the wires broke, sending her tumbling towards the ground. She landed hard against the marble tiles, knocking the wind out of her. But before she could catch her breath, Kate quickly covered herself with her arms, protecting her head from the shower of falling bones.

Shaking her head, Kate pushed herself up to her feet, whipping around to search for Castle and the kids. The lobby floor was covered in a mist of bone dust, making it difficult to see. Charlie stumbled out of the remains of the ribcage, and Kate grabbed him, pulling him to her as she glanced around for Castle. She spotted him a second later, helping Zoe to her feet. Dazed and confused, they all staggered around for a second, unaware of the danger approaching.

The rolling roar of the big raptor penetrated through the thick air, striking fear straight into Kate's hammering heart. She spun around, clutching Charlie close to her chest as the big raptor appeared from the stairs, clicking its dagger-like claw against the marble tiles as it stalked forward, confident in its control over the situation. Her back stiffened and her shoulders tensed. Behind her, Kate could hear the hooting howls of the smaller raptor as it herded Castle and Zoe into the center of the lobby. Kate risked a glance over her shoulder, only to have her suspicions confirmed.

Soon, she and Castle were standing back to back, each facing a merciless foe.

The big raptor stared at them, a wicked, snarling grin plastered on its pointy evil face. It lowered its head, crouching down in a pre-attack stance, ready to pounce.

But then a strange and unnatural sound resounded around the rotunda, coming from up above, slowly getting louder. Kate's eyebrows rose in recognition: The whirling rotors of a helicopter.

"The roof!" Castle exclaimed.

The raptors twisted their head around, sniffing and snarling, the strange noise enough to distract them. And despite the dire situation, hope began to fill Kate's heart. But before she could embrace the optimism, it soon faded when the big raptor gave a decisive shake of its head and returned its focus on them. It lowered its head, tail sticking up as it prepared to pounce. The other raptor did the same, hissing and snarling as it stalked forward.

"Kate…," Castle gasped, the anguish and sorrow dripping from his voice as he accepted that this was probably it. "I love you."

She gulped, and leaned back into him, wishing she could hug him tight and never let go. Instead, she clutched Charlie to her chest, and shielding him from the end. She closed her eyes, and replied, going with the classic Han Solo response, knowing Castle would appreciate it. "I know."

What happened next was almost too much to believe. A pure example of _deus ex machina_ at its finest. The dictionary defined _deus ex machina_ as 'an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel'. And really, that was what happened. Kate could not make this stuff up… Castle, maybe… but not her. Later, she would accept that the rotors of the helicopter caught the attention of their unlikely savior, luring the goliath towards the Visitor Center.

The big raptor was poised to strike, but before it could pounce, the entire Visitor Center seemed to shake as if from an earthquake, and within moments the front façade smashed apart, crumbling as if a wrecking ball had just struck it. An angry Tyrannosaurus Rex staggered inside, throwing its massive bulk around, toppling over displays and signage. Bellowing, the tyrannosaur raised its head skyward, staring up at the curved dome roof.

Enraged by the intrusion, the big raptor roared indignantly, and charged undaunted towards the Tyrannosaurus Rex. It pounced into the air, shrieking and snarling, latching itself onto the larger predator's side. The tyrannosaur howled in pain, and rocking violently from side to side as the raptor dug its claws into its thick hide. Snapping its magnificent jaws, the tyrannosaur craned its neck around and snagged the raptor off its back by the tail. It lifted the howling beast into the air, and, with a powerful jerk of its neck, the tyrannosaur flung the raptor across the lobby, where it hit the railing up above with a sickening crack of its spin. The big raptor went limp, and collapsed down the sidewalls of the rotunda, smacking down to the marble floor, completely lifeless.

Stunned, Kate, Castle and the kids just stood there, watching in utter and complete baffled amazement, as the second raptor howled in outrage, and charged the tyrannosaur, as if possessed by some mindless devotion to its fallen leader. The small raptor leaped through the air, snarling and growling in a frenzied rage, rendering the Rex's flesh as it came down, slashing it open with its six-inch razor sharp toe-claw. The tyrannosaur bellowed in pain, and turned on the raptor, eyes aflame, and attacked, just once, as fast as the head of a serpent. It caught the raptor by the thick back end, a set of six-foot jaws clamping down on the raptor. Eighteen-inch teeth sunk into the raptor's flesh, and the helpless beast howled in agony. The tyrannosaur put one of its enormous feet down over the trashing raptor, holding it down, and then with one singular powerful jerk of its head, ripped the raptor in half.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Kate said, grabbing Castle's arm and tugging him along with Zoe and Charlie away from the fray. They darted across the lobby, and watched the scene unfold as they rushed up the stairs.

The Rex whirled around, as it turned, its heavy tail counterbalanced, snapping the other way, sweeping across the lobby and smashing right through the fossils of its long dead ancestor. The skeleton collapsed in an explosion of bones, falling to pieces around the living Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"That was so cool!" Castle enthused, grinning like the little boy he sometimes was.

Kate stifled the need to roll her eyes, and focused on helping Charlie up the stairs. They still weren't out of the woods yet.

XXX

Hammond blinked his eyes open, astonished to discover he had passed out. He rubbed his head, frowning at the headache the pounded like a jackhammer within his cranium. The chirping was getting louder and small bits of earth rolled down the small slope past him. Something was coming. He held a hand up to shield his eyes from the sunlight, and squinted up at the crest of the slope. That was when he spotted it. The dark green animal bounced down the small hill towards him and the temptation of water.

_Compys_, he thought with a chill, remembering the horrendous scene from the tourist departure docks. The first compy cocked its small head and chirped. Suddenly another jumped up beside it, and another... and another. They moved up and down with little nervous jerks, like chickens. But they were far from being similar to the domesticated fowl. Alone, they were harmless, but compys were dangerous in packs.

And that's when it dawned on him. Hammond suddenly realized why the compys had come. He did not know how long he had been unconscious earlier or how long he'd been sitting here, but it had probably been enough time to call the attention of scavengers, and compys were scavengers, like jackals or hyenas. But then again, just like jackals and hyenas, compys did go after crippled and injured animals.

_Crippled animals_, he thought, frowning.

The first of the compys stopped about five feet away, just beyond his reach, and just stared up at him, watching. The others soon swooped down, like a flock of birds, all stopping in a row. Watching. They hopped up and down, chittered and waved their little clawed hands.

"Shoo! Get away!" Hammond shouted, picking up a few rocks from the streambed, and throwing them at the small dinosaurs.

The compys fluttered back, but only a foot or two. He realized with a sudden horror that they weren't afraid. Angrily, Hammond tore a branch from a nearby tree and swiped at them with it. He growled and shouted, trying his best to scare them off. But it was futile. The compys didn't budge. They simply nipped at the leaves on the branch when it swept over their little heads, squeaking happily. It was like they thought he was playing some sort of game with them.

Frustrated, Hammond gripped his cane and heaved himself up to his feet. He cursed, wincing when he tried putting some weight on his left foot, but choose to ignore it in favor of getting away from the little dinosaurs crowding around him. Still holding a few small rocks in his hand, Hammond aimed carefully, and threw one, striking a compy flat in the chest. The little animal shrieked in alarm as it was knocked backward, and rolled over its tail. Hammond stumbled forward and kicked the closest compy with all his might, sending it flying into the air. It struck a tree with a loud smack. If it hadn't died from the sheer shock of being kicked, the tree just finished the job. The others chirped and squawked in alarm, immediately backing away from him.

_Better_.

Hammond turned away and started to climb back up the slope. He could probably find his way back to the road by retracing the destructive path of the jeep. It was an obvious notion, and he wondered why he hadn't thought of it sooner. He squeezed his fingers around the amber head of his cane, his knuckles blanching white. Hammond could feel the ache in his thigh as he put more weight on his right leg. That was when he heard it, the distinctive whirl of rotors. The helicopter! He grunted, redoubling his efforts. At the very least he needed to get back to the jeep. There were flare guns in the back compartment. He could send up a series of flares and alert the rescuers to his location. And then he would finally be off this accursed island.

He had hardly gone fifteen feet when one of the compys jumped onto his back. Hammond let out a strangle cry, flinging his arms wildly in an attempt to knock the animal way, but lost his balance and fell hard, the mud slapping against his side, and before he knew it, he was sliding back down the muddy slope towards the stream. As he skidded to a stop, a second compy sprang forward, and took a tiny nip at his hand. He looked with horror, seeing the blood flow over his fingers.

Running on fear, while also ignoring the throbbing in his left ankle, Hammond turned and began to scramble up the slope, desperate to get away from these scoundrels. He could still hear the helicopter in the distance. The rotors were whirling on idly, meaning the chopper had landed and was awaiting him. But before he could get too far, another compy jumped onto his shoulder, and he felt a brief jolt of pain as it bit the back of his neck. He shrieked and smacked the little beastie away.

He rolled over to face the compys, breathing heavily, and saw them standing all around him, bouncing up and down, cocking their heads, and letting out little hoots and chirps. From the bite on his neck, Hammond felt a warmth flow through his shoulder, and down his spine. He blinked, suddenly dizzy and lightheaded. He tried to fight it, struggled to keep the fog at bay, but the fatigue and exhaustion were setting in, and in the end, he simply surrendered.

Flopping down onto his back, he began to feel strangely relaxed, detached from himself. Hammond lay very still, as still as an infant in its crib, and he felt wonderfully peaceful. When the next compy came up and bit his ankle, he made only a halfhearted effort to kick it away. The ring of compys around him edged closer. Soon they were chattering with glee, like excited birds. He raised his head as another compy jumped onto his chest, the little thing surprisingly light and delicate. Hammond felt only a slight pain, very slight, as the compy bent to chew on his neck.

XXX

The wind howled around them as they broke through the last remaining door and stumbled onto the roof of the Visitor Center. Beside him, Castle heard Beckett let out a cry of relief when she saw the helicopter waiting for them. A slender man, dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit with a silver patch on his shoulder embroidered with the InGen company logo, jumped out of the helicopter, waving his hand, beckoning them over. Clutching hands with the children, they rushed forward, ducking their heads as they approached the spinning blades. The man helped Charlie and Zoe into the helicopter. He lingered to assist them in buckling the safety straps and seatbelts, before he hopped back out to face Castle and Beckett.

"Where's Mr. Hammond?" the man shouted over the roar of the engines, his brow furrowing in confusion as he craned his neck to look behind them. "Is there anyone else!?"

"It's just us," Beckett replied, slipping her hand down Castle's arm, slowly interlacing their hands together.

The man hesitated for a moment, but the faint roar of the Tyrannosaurus Rex from below them snapped him back into action. "Okay, okay," he said, gesturing for them to follow. "We'll do a sweep over the area before we leave, look for other survivors. Let's go."

Castle directed Beckett ahead of him, placing his hand on the small of her back as she ducked her head and climbed inside the back of the helicopter. He gripped the handhold and pulled himself in behind her. The man grabbed the handle and slammed the door shut, before hurrying back up to the front of the helicopter and joined the pilot.

The whirl of the rotors increased, and the helicopter slowly began to rise up into the air.

Castle leaned back into the cushioned seat, draping his arm over Kate's shoulder as she leaned into his side, letting the tension she'd been carrying wash away. He glanced over at the kids, and found, to his amazement, that both had fallen asleep. Kate noticed it too, and smiled, tilting her head up to nuzzle her nose against his jaw.

"We made it, Rick," she murmured, voice rough and raw from the exertion of the forty-eight hours.

He nodded, dipping his head down to pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He held that position, and closed his eyes, inhaling the glorious scent that was Kate Beckett, the love of his life. Castle honestly did not know what he would have done if something had happened to her. He still recalled, in almost vivid detail, the afternoon she was shot. He could still smell the freshly cut grass, feel the heat of the sun, and taste the despair in the back of his mouth. He blinked his eyes, and inhaled another long breath, letting her close presence eradicate his dark and brooding memories of earlier tragedies. They were here now, together, and alive.

"We're survivors, Kate," Castle murmured into the top of her head as he hugged her close. "We always have been, both separately… and together."

"I think I like the 'together' part better," she huffed out a soft chuckle.

"Me too," he returned, brushing his fingertips along the exquisite cut of her jaw, and pulled her in for a kiss, pouring all of his love and adoration into the movement of his lips.

Below them, the expanse of Jurassic Park flew by, all green and lush trees, looking serene and beautiful, the horrors unseen. Soon there was nothing but rolling waves as the helicopter banked to the left, and headed East, towards the mainland.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "This wasn't the tropical getaway you were expecting."

"No, it wasn't," Kate concurred with a soft nod. She sat up, and reached up to caress the side of his face, leaning in to press another loving kiss to his lips. "But it wasn't your fault." Closing her eyes, Kate lingered, brushing her nose against his. "We'll try again."

"Yeah," Castle agreed on a sigh. "But next time, without the T-Rex."


	23. Epilogue - Home

**Jurassic Island**

**Epilogue – Home**

* * *

Days went by. The government was polite, and put them up in a nice hotel in San José. They were free to come and go, and to call whomever they wished. But they were not permitted to leave the country. Each day a young man from the American Embassy came to visit them, to ask if they needed anything, and to explain that the US State Department was doing everything it could to hasten their departure. But the plain fact was that many people had died in a territorial possession of Costa Rica. The Costa Rican government felt it had been misled and deceived by John Hammond. Under the circumstances, the government was not disposed to release survivors in a hurry.

Eventually the news broke, starting with a leaked report from a San José hospital that had treated a young American tourist for a broken leg. Todd DiLaurentis and his fiancé Sally told a fantastical tale of death and destruction by the genetically engineered dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Their interview with an Internet vlogger went viral, and the rest fell like dominoes.

The press descended like a swarm of locust upon San José once the involvement of Richard Castle and Kate Beckett, his wife and muse, in 'The Downfall of Jurassic Park' had been discovered. The Costa Rican authorities did their best to keep the horde of reporters at bay, but a handful manage to slip through, and accosted them, shouting questions about this and that.

Castle and Beckett tried their best to shield Zoe and Charlie from the overzealous journalists whenever that occurred, not wanting the children to be traumatized anymore than they already had. When Mrs. Hastings came to collect her children, she thanked Castle and Beckett profusely for looking after them. Kate found out that Robert Muldoon, Jurassic Park's deceased Game Warden, had a daughter attending university in London, and she personally called the young woman, offering her condolences and recounting how heroic and honorable the girl's father had been.

John Hammond's death, along with the massive failure of the park, sent InGen's stock value plummeting. By the time the Castles had been debriefed by both US and Costa Rican authorities, there were already talks of Congressional inquiries and hearings up on the Hill. InGen's board of directors were scrambling to save face, their public relations department working tirelessly to shift blame over to Dennis Nedry and the rival company that had hired him to sabotage the park. Many speculated InGen would collapse by the end of the year.

Finally, after a long two weeks, they were released to return home.

XXX

"Well, well, well… look what the cat dragged in," Esposito crowed the moment they stepped off the elevator and walked into the bullpen. He sauntered over to Beckett's desk, his jesting unable to conceal the true relief shining in his eyes at seeing his friends return safe and sound from their unexpected adventures.

"It's good to see you too, Espo," Kate said with a soft smile, leaning in to hug her friend and colleague.

Esposito and Castle exchanged a firm handshake and a slight nod, some tension still lingering between them from Castle's two month disappearance. Though, much to Beckett's relief, it seemed to have lessened as a result of recent events.

"You're back!" Ryan emerged from the break room, coffee mug in hand. His face lit up with joy, and he gave them one of his big Irish smiles.

"Yeah, we're back," Beckett affirmed with a grin. "Just making a quick stop before going home."

Ryan set his cup down, and hugged them both, happy to have his friends back. "Glad you guys made it out of there," he said, shaking his head. "Jenny's been reading all about it. And the cable news has been running the story 24-7."

"I know," Castle said, eyes flashing with memories. "It's been crazy."

Esposito tossed a copy of the _Ledger_ on Beckett's desk as she slipped down into her chair, wanting to do a quick check on any paperwork that had piled up on her desk during their time away. "You made the front page."

Beckett picked up the newspaper and stared at the image printed under the big bold headline. Sure enough, there they were—Castle's arm draped over her shoulder—boarding a private jet provided by the US State Department. She pursed her lips, a slight frown creasing her brow as she started at the headline: _DISASTER PARK—FAMOUS WRITER AND MUSE AMONG SURVIVORS_. She didn't know how she felt about being referred to solely as Richard Castle's muse. She was his wife, after all. That should trump muse.

"Nice picture," Castle said, leaning over her shoulder. She hummed noncommittally, lifting her shoulders in a half-shrug. "Then you won't mind if I have it frame, then?" he added, snatching the paper out of her hands.

"Um… Castle, I don't think that's really necess—"

"KATE BECKETT! YOU GET YOUR SKINNY ASS OVER HERE THIS SECOND!"

Everyone jerked back in surprise, turning as one to the source of the shouted demand, seeing Lanie Parish barreling through the bullpen, shoving curious uniforms out of the way. Beckett stood up, and was immediately wrapped in a tight hug from her best friend. She relaxed into Lanie's embrace, squeezing her back in reassurances.

"What's with you two and danger?" Lanie questioned when she pulled back.

"Hey, why are you looking at me!?" Castle all but squeaked.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, writer boy, but wasn't it your brilliant idea to go there in the first place?"

"Um… yeah," Castle hedged, casting a pleading glance in Beckett's direction. She simply shrugged, pursing her lips as she smirked, having too much fun watching him squirm under her friend's glare. Besides, she'd make up for it later.

"Yeah, bro," Esposito added, smirking with delight at getting to tease the writer. "You best do better next time."

"Oh, trust me, I plan to," Castle bobbed his head with wide eyes. "Next time… it's the Maldives all the way, just like we originally planned."

Kate smiled, liking the idea. But for now, she was fine with just returning to the loft and reuniting with their family. She reached up, curving her hand along Castle's shoulder, squeezing slightly to gain his attention. "I'll just go speak with Gates, and then we can head home, okay?" she said, flashing him a quick wink, before side-stepping around him, and heading for the captain's office.

XXX

"Oh my god, Dad, that must have been terrifying!" Alexis exclaimed, slowly inching closer to him on the sofa.

He'd noticed that. She'd been especially clingy since they arrived back home. But he didn't mind it. In fact, he felt the same way. There had been a few times during those eventful three days when he'd been afraid he would never see his daughter again. He was glad it never came to that. Turning, he looked at his mother, sitting on the coffee table, then to his wife, who was curled up next to him, and then he shared a look with Jim, seated in the armchair closest to Kate, before shifting back to Alexis.

"Yeah, Pumpkin, it was," he confirmed. "But none of it was as terrifying as the prospect of never coming home and seeing your beautiful face again."

"Dad," Alexis blushed, ducking her head down bashfully, moving closer to him, and burying her head in his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her close.

Next to him, Kate watched the scene with tender eyes, before she turned and shared a long affectionate look with her own father, reaching out to hold his hand, making him part of the family moment. It warmed Castle's heart to witness the gesture. All five of them had truly become a family. It was a beautiful thing.

"And you, Katherine, it must have been just as awful," Martha interjected, "running around with those prehistoric creatures chasing you around."

Kate nodded. "Yeah, Martha, you got that right. It was no walk in the park," she replied with a straight face.

"Ooh," Castle grinned, delighted, as Kate gave him a flirty wink. "Good one."

"Couldn't resist."

"So you really punched a velociraptor in the face?" Jim asked, raising a dubious eyebrow at his daughter.

"Actually, it was more of a kick," Kate replied. "Well… two or three kicks, to be precise."

Castle bobbed his head excited. "It was so cool," he said. "I tell you, I married a superwoman."

"You weren't so bad yourself, Rick," Kate chimed in, smiling affectionately at him. "Before I kicked that raptor in the face, you stared it down, buying time for the rest of us to climb up to safety. And don't even get me started on everything you did to keep Zoe and Charlie safe."

"Yeah," Castle nodded, smirking cheekily. "I'm heroic like that."

All five of them laughed lightly, basking in the moment of having there little family reunited.

"Alright, darlings, enough talk," Martha waved a dramatic hand, smiling down at them, and lifting her flute of champagne. "I would like to propose a toast."

"Please do, mother," Castle leaned back, raising his own flute. Kate and Alexis followed suit. As did Jim, though his glass held Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider instead of champagne.

Martha looked at all four of them, lingering on Castle and Kate. "To safe returns."

"To happy endings," Alexis added.

"To family," Jim added.

Castle felt his heart swell with the love he felt in the room. He'd spent so much of his life wishing for a complete family. His own father may not be in the picture, but right here… right here he had all he ever really needed or wanted. These people—Kate, Martha, Alexis, and even Jim—were his family. "Yes, Jim. To family," he raised his glass. "To my mother, my daughter, my father-in-law," he looked at each one of them, letting them see his appreciation in his eyes, before shifting his gaze to his beloved wife, "and to the love of my life."

Kate paused, and stared at him for long moment, her eyes filling with nothing but love. She pursed her lips and smiled, that special smile she saved only for him, before she moved her glass forward and clinked it with his. "And to coming home."

**THE END**


End file.
